THE ROLE OF CHILDHOOD STRESSORS IN THE INTERGENERATIONAL TRANSMISSIONOF ALCOHOL-USE DISORDERS

Objective: This study examined relations between childhood stressors ( e.g., disrupted family rituals, embarrassment, neglect, abuse), family history of paternal alcoholism, and alcohol use disorders in late ado lescence and early adulthood. Of particular interest was the extent to which stressor exposure mediated the association between paternal and offspring alcohol use disorders. Method: A mixed-gender sample of 457 (238 female) participants, approximately half (N = 234) with a family history of paternal alcoholism, were assessed for alcohol use disorde rs and childhood stressors via clinical interviews. Results: Family hi story of paternal alcoholism was associated with every childhood stres sor examined, often strongly. In addition, a number of childhood stres sors (e.g., verbal, emotional, physical and sexual abuse) were related to an alcohol use disorder in late adolescence/early adulthood. Howev er, only a portion of the effect of family history on a subsequent alc ohol use disorder was accounted for by the childhood stressors we exam ined. Conclusions: Findings indicate that self-reported childhood stre ssors are strongly related to a family history of alcoholism, but are only moderately and inconsistently related to the development of an al cohol use disorder. Moreover, they appear to, at best, only partially mediate the relation between family history of alcoholism and an alcoh ol use disorder.