Abstracting deficits and childhood conduct disorder as a function of familial alcoholism.
Using a large sample (n = 515), family history-positive male alcoholics (FH+) performed poorer than family history-negative (FH-) alcoholics on a test of abstracting ability. They also reported an earlier age of onset of alcoholism, more symptoms of childhood conduct disorder, and tended to report more depressive symptoms than FH- alcoholics, however, these variables were not significantly related to abstracting score. FH+ and FH- samples did not differ on average amount of ethanol consumed per day, vocabulary, state anxiety, childhood attentional deficit disorder, and childhood learning disability. The significant differences found in this study between FH+ and FH- alcoholics were minimal. With such weak effects, the inconsistent findings in studies that have investigated differences between FH+ and FH- alcoholics are understandable.
Schaeffer
K W
KW
Department of Psychiatry & Behavioral Sciences, University of Oklahoma Health Sciences Center, Oklahoma City 73190.
Parsons
O A
OA
Errico
A L
AL
D000328:Adult; D000437:Alcoholism / Q000235:genetics* / Q000523:psychology; D001289:Attention Deficit Disorder with Hyperactivity / Q000235:genetics; D002648:Child; D002653:Child Behavior Disorders / Q000235:genetics* / Q000523:psychology; D003210:Concept Formation / Q000187:drug effects; D005500:Follow-Up Studies; D006801:Humans; D007859:Learning Disabilities / Q000235:genetics; D008297:Male; D011581:Psychological Tests