FAILURE TO DETECT SIGNS OF PSYCHOLOGICAL DISTRESS IN THE PRESCHOOL-CHILDREN OF ALCOHOLIC PARENTS

Due to the finding of higher rates of psychopathology in the school-ag e children of alcoholic parents, an increased risk of behavioral distu rbances were hypothesized in preschool offspring. Forty-four children, under the age of six, who were the biological offspring of at least o ne alcoholic parent, were studied as part of a larger family genetics project of alcoholism. Mothers were interviewed using the Behavioral S creening Questionnaire (BSQ) to assess their preschoolers' behavioral and somatic symptomatology as well as adaptive functioning. Despite th e high-risk status of these children, parental ratings were not indica tive of early signs of overall distress. Higher levels of dependency, attention-seeking behavior and irritability were reported only in the preschool offspring of alcoholic parents comorbid for antisocial perso nality disorder. The potential role of biased parental reports vs. dev elopmental invulnerability is discussed.