Parental history of anxiety and alcohol-use disorders and alcohol expectancies as predictors of alcohol-related problems.
OBJECTIVE
Research has consistently identified a family history of alcoholism as a risk factor for alcohol-related problems, and global positive expectancies have been found to moderate this association. High rates of comorbidity between alcohol use and anxiety disorders suggest that a family history of anxiety disorders may also increase risk. Further, expectations of negative reinforcement (e.g., tension reduction) have been found to moderate the influence of anxiety-related traits. The current study sought to extend previous research by examining the influence of parental history of alcoholism, anxiety disorders, and the combination, as predictors of alcohol-related problems. Expectancies of global positive changes and tension reduction were hypothesized to moderate the influence of parental history of alcoholism and anxiety, respectively.


METHODS
Direct interviews with parents assessed their history of alcoholism and anxiety for 144 offspring (ages 18-32; 53.5% male) creating four groups: those with a parental history of alcoholism (27.80%), anxiety (22.20%), both alcoholism and anxiety (33.30%), and no history of psychopathology (16.70%). Established measures assessed the offsprings'alcohol expectancies, alcohol use, and alcohol-related problems.


RESULTS
Although expected interactions between parental alcoholism and global positive expectancies and between parental anxiety and tension-reduction expectancies were not found, global positive expectancies were associated with alcohol-related problems among the group with parental history of both alcoholism and anxiety.


CONCLUSIONS
The results suggest that the relation between parental history of alcoholism and global positive expectancies observed in previous studies may be strongest among individuals with a comorbid parental history of alcohol and anxiety disorders. Incorporating expectancies into interventions targeting individuals with a comorbid parental history of alcohol and anxiety disorders may have utility.
Morean
Meghan E
ME
Department of Psychology, Yale University, 2 Hillhouse Avenue, New Haven, Connecticut 06520, USA. meghan.morean@yale.edu
Corbin
William R
WR
Sinha
Rajita
R
O'Malley
Stephanie S
SS
D019973:Alcohol-Related Disorders / Q000209:etiology; D000437:Alcoholism / Q000150:complications*; D001007:Anxiety / Q000150:complications*; D001290:Attitude; D017831:Diagnosis, Dual (Psychiatry) / Q000009:adverse effects*; D005192:Family Health; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D011237:Predictive Value of Tests; D055815:Young Adult