ON THE DISCRIMINATIVE VALIDITY OF A FAMILY HISTORY OF PROBLEM DRINKING INDEX WITH A NATIONAL SAMPLE OF YOUNG-ADULTS

Objective: This study used data from the National Longitudinal Survey of Youth (NLSY) to test hypotheses relevant to the discriminative vali dity of a trichotomous family history of problem drinking index. Early onset substance use, adolescent antisocial behaviors and lifetime alc ohol and illicit drug use were used as criterion variables. Method: Pr ospective, longitudinal survey data from over 9,000 young adult subjec ts (ages 23-30 yrs) in the NLSY archive were used to evaluate several hypotheses regarding familial risk of alcoholism. Results: General sup port for discriminant validity was indicated, as the high density fami lial risk group differed from the moderate- (paternal or maternal prob lem drinking only) and low-risk groups with regard to a somewhat earli er onset of marijuana use, higher levels of antisocial behaviors in ad olescence (especially substance-related offenses and property offenses ) and higher levels of lifetime marijuana and cocaine use. The high- a nd moderate-risk groups differed from the low-risk group with regard t o alcohol use and alcohol-disordered problems (e.g., negative conseque nces, dependency symptoms). Conclusions: Risk associated with high fam ilial problem-drinking density includes an earlier onset of illicit su bstance use, higher rates of lifetime marijuana and cocaine use and mo re frequent adolescent antisocial behavior. The general pattern of the findings was robust for men and women and suggests that high-risk sta tus may reflect both a high genetic loading and a high environmental r isk loading.