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The Relationship Between Parental Alcoholism and Adolescent Psychopathology: A Systematic Examination of Parental Comorbid Psychopathology

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Abstract

The relationship between parental alcohol dependence (with and without comorbid psychopathology) and adolescent psychopathology was examined in a sample of 665 13–17 year-old adolescents and their parents. Results indicated that adolescents who had parents diagnosed with alcohol dependence only did not significantly differ from adolescents who had parents with no psychopathology in regard to any of the measures of psychological symptomatology (substance use, conduct disorder, and depression) or clinical diagnoses (alcohol dependence, marijuana dependence, conduct disorder, or depression) assessed. In contrast, adolescents who had parents diagnosed with alcohol dependence and either comorbid drug dependence or depression were more likely to exhibit higher levels of psychological symptomatology. In addition, adolescents who had parents diagnosed with alcohol dependence, depression, and drug dependence were most likely to exhibit psychological problems. These findings underscore the importance of considering parental comorbid psychopathology when examining the relationship between parental alcoholism and offspring adjustment.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Department of Individual & Family Studies, University of Delaware, Newark, DE

    Christine McCauley Ohannessian

  2. Department of Psychiatry, University of Connecticut Medical School, Farmington, Connecticut

    Victor M. Hesselbrock

  3. Department of Psychiatry, University of Iowa School of Medicine, Iowa City, Iowa

    John Kramer & Samuel Kuperman

  4. Department of Psychiatry, Washington University School of Medicine, St. Louis, Missouri

    Kathleen K. Bucholz

  5. Department of Psychiatry, University of California at San Diego, San Diego, California

    Marc A. Schuckit

  6. Department of Psychiatry, Indiana University School of Medicine, Indianapolis, Indiana

    John I. Nurnberger Jr.

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  1. Christine McCauley Ohannessian
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  2. Victor M. Hesselbrock
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  3. John Kramer
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  5. Kathleen K. Bucholz
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  7. John I. Nurnberger Jr.
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Ohannessian, C.M., Hesselbrock, V.M., Kramer, J. et al. The Relationship Between Parental Alcoholism and Adolescent Psychopathology: A Systematic Examination of Parental Comorbid Psychopathology. J Abnorm Child Psychol 32, 519–533 (2004). https://doi.org/10.1023/B:JACP.0000037781.49155.a6

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1023/B:JACP.0000037781.49155.a6

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