Anxiety disorders and risk for alcohol use disorders: the moderating effect of parental support.
BACKGROUND
There have been mixed findings on the temporal relation between anxiety disorders and alcohol use disorders (AUDs), suggesting that the pathway to AUDs may differ among individuals. The aim of the current study was to test whether parental support moderated the association between anxiety disorders and the development of AUDs. We also tested whether our effects differed as a function of age of AUD onset.


METHODS
817 individuals were assessed for lifetime diagnoses of psychopathology during 4-waves between adolescence (mean age=16) and adulthood (mean age=30).


RESULTS
Proportional hazards model analyses indicated that baseline anxiety disorders interacted with baseline perceived maternal support to prospectively predict onset of AUDs. At high levels of maternal support, anxiety disorders were associated with a reduced risk for AUD onset (HR=0.74, 95% CI=0.55-1.00). However, this effect was more robust for AUDs that developed prior to age 20. At low levels of maternal support, anxiety disorders were associated with an increased risk for AUD onset (HR=1.65, 95% CI=1.21-2.26). This effect was present for AUDs that developed across adolescence and adulthood. Paternal support was not associated with AUDs and did not interact with anxiety disorders.


CONCLUSIONS
Prevention and intervention efforts targeted at maternal support in adolescents with anxiety disorders may be valuable, as this may represent a factor that has a significant impact on the developmental course of AUDs.
University of Illinois at Chicago, Department of Psychology, 1007 West Harrison Street (M/C 285), Chicago, IL 60657, United States.
Stephanie M
SM
Gorka
University of Illinois at Chicago, Department of Psychology, 1007 West Harrison Street (M/C 285), Chicago, IL 60657, United States. Electronic address: stewarts@uic.edu.
Stewart A
SA
Shankman
Temple University, Department of Psychology, 17011 North 13th Street, Philadelphia, PA 19122, United States.
Thomas M
TM
Olino
Oregon Research Institute, 1776 Millrace Drive, Eugene, OR 97403, United States.
John R
JR
Seeley
Oregon Research Institute, 1776 Millrace Drive, Eugene, OR 97403, United States.
Derek B
DB
Kosty
Oregon Research Institute, 1776 Millrace Drive, Eugene, OR 97403, United States.
Peter M
PM
Lewinsohn
D000293:Adolescent; D017668:Age of Onset; D000437:Alcoholism / Q000150:complications* / Q000523:psychology; D001008:Anxiety Disorders / Q000150:complications* / Q000523:psychology; D002648:Child; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008137:Longitudinal Studies; D008297:Male; D008425:Maternal Behavior; D010290:Parents / Q000523:psychology*; D012306:Risk; D012959:Socioeconomic Factors
Alcohol use disorders; Anxiety disorders; Maternal support