Adult children of alcoholics: Drinking, psychiatric, and psychosocial status

Although family history of alcoholism represents a major risk factor in the development of drinking problems, the available empirical literature on th is topic has raised significant questions regarding the strength and breadt h of this relationship. In addition, few studies have evaluated factors tha t can ameliorate or exacerbate risk for adverse outcomes among children of alcoholics (COAs). The current study compared the drinking, psychiatric, an d psychosocial status of 84 adult COAs with those of 111 offspring of norma l controls and 102 offspring of psychiatric controls. Adult COAs were diffe rentiated from control groups regarding alcohol and drug abuse and personal ity characteristics associated with behavioral undercontrol. Furthermore, t he drinking outcomes of female versus male offspring were most clearly diff erentiated across groups. Future research directions are discussed.