Associations of parental alcohol use disorders and parental separation with offspring initiation of alcohol, cigarette and cannabis use and sexual debut in high-risk families

Association between childhood family structure and longitudinal health behaviour changes in adulthood -Northern Finland birth cohort 1966 study

BACKGROUND

Childhood family structure is considered to play a role in person's health and welfare. This study investigated the relationships between the longitudinal changes of adult health behaviours and childhood family structure.

METHODS

From Northern Finland Birth Cohort 1966 questionnaires, we collected data on childhood family structure at the age of 14 ('two-parent family', 'one parent not living at home/no information on father', and 'father or mother deceased'), and on health behaviours (smoking, alcohol consumption and physical activity status) at the ages of 31 and 46. We used the multinomial logistic regression model to estimate the unadjusted and adjusted associations between childhood family structures and the longitudinal changes between 31 and 46 years of health behaviours (four-category variables).

RESULTS

Of the study sample (n = 5431; 55.5% females), 7.1% of the offspring were represented in the 'One parent not living at home/no information on father' subgroup, 6.3% in the 'Father or mother deceased' subgroup and 86.6% in the 'Two-parent family'. 'One parent not living at home/no information on father' offspring were approximately twice as likely to smoke (adjusted OR 2.19, 95% CI 1.70-2.81) and heavily consume alcohol (adjusted OR 1.99, 95% CI 1.25-3.16) at both times in adulthood, relative to not smoking or not heavily consume alcohol, and compared with 'two-parent family' offspring. We found no statistically significant associations between childhood family structure and physical activity status changes in adulthood.

CONCLUSIONS

Our findings suggest that the offspring of single-parent families in particular should be supported in early life to diminish their risk of unhealthy behaviours in adulthood.

Alcohol milestones and internalizing, externalizing, and executive function: longitudinal and polygenic score associations

BACKGROUND

Although the link between alcohol involvement and behavioral phenotypes (e.g. impulsivity, negative affect, executive function [EF]) is well-established, the directionality of these associations, specificity to stages of alcohol involvement, and extent of shared genetic liability remain unclear. We estimate longitudinal associations between transitions among alcohol milestones, behavioral phenotypes, and indices of genetic risk.

METHODS

Data came from the Collaborative Study on the Genetics of Alcoholism (n = 3681; ages 11-36). Alcohol transitions (first: drink, intoxication, alcohol use disorder [AUD] symptom, AUD diagnosis), internalizing, and externalizing phenotypes came from the Semi-Structured Assessment for the Genetics of Alcoholism. EF was measured with the Tower of London and Visual Span Tasks. Polygenic scores (PGS) were computed for alcohol-related and behavioral phenotypes. Cox models estimated associations among PGS, behavior, and alcohol milestones.

RESULTS

Externalizing phenotypes (e.g. conduct disorder symptoms) were associated with future initiation and drinking problems (hazard ratio (HR)⩾1.16). Internalizing (e.g. social anxiety) was associated with hazards for progression from first drink to severe AUD (HR⩾1.55). Initiation and AUD were associated with increased hazards for later depressive symptoms and suicidal ideation (HR⩾1.38), and initiation was associated with increased hazards for future conduct symptoms (HR = 1.60). EF was not associated with alcohol transitions. Drinks per week PGS was linked with increased hazards for alcohol transitions (HR⩾1.06). Problematic alcohol use PGS increased hazards for suicidal ideation (HR = 1.20).

CONCLUSIONS

Behavioral markers of addiction vulnerability precede and follow alcohol transitions, highlighting dynamic, bidirectional relationships between behavior and emerging addiction.

Parent-child separation and intergenerational transmission of substance use and disorder: Testing across three generations

There is evidence for intergenerational transmission of substance use and disorder. However, it is unclear whether separation from a parent with substance use disorder (SUD) moderates intergenerational transmission, and no studies have tested this question across three generations. In a three-generation study of families oversampled for familial SUD, we tested whether separation between father (G1; first generation) and child (G2; second generation) moderated the effect of G1 father SUDs on G2 child SUDs. We also tested whether separation between father (G2) and child (G3; third generation) moderated the effect of G2 SUDs on G3 drinking. Finally, we tested whether G1-G2 or G2-G3 separation moderated the mediated effect of G1 SUDs on G3 drinking through G2 SUDs. G1 father-G2 child separation moderated intergenerational transmission. In families with G1-G2 separation, there were no significant effects of father SUD on G2 SUD or G3 drinking. However, in nonseparated families, greater G1 father SUDs predicted heightened G2 SUDs and G3 grandchild drinking. In nonseparated families, G1 father SUDs significantly predicted G2 SUDs, which predicted G3 drinking. However, G2-G3 separation predicted heightened G3 drinking regardless of G2 and G1 SUDs. Parental separation may introduce risk for SUDs and drinking among youth with lower familial risk.

The potential adverse effects of minors' exposure to alcohol-related stimuli via licenced venues: A narrative review

ISSUES

Young people are particularly impressionable when it comes to forming expectations and attitudes around alcohol consumption. Any stimuli that normalise and foster positive expectations around alcohol use may increase the risk of underage alcohol consumption. Alcohol venues that market themselves as being appropriate 'family friendly' establishments for children risk exposing minors to environments that are saturated with alcohol-related stimuli. However, research examining how exposure to licenced venues affects underage people is very limited. The aim of this narrative review was to identify and synthesise relevant evidence to better understand how attending these venues might affect minors.

APPROACH

A narrative review of research published between January 2016 and November 2022 was conducted to investigate the potential effects on underage people of exposure to licenced venues and stimuli encountered in/around these venues. Examined stimuli included alcohol advertising, people consuming alcohol and alcohol outlets.

KEY FINDINGS

The reviewed literature indicates that the risk of alcohol-related harm among minors is likely to increase with greater exposure to alcohol venues due to the associated exposure to alcohol advertising, exposure to others consuming alcohol and higher outlet density. In combination, these factors are likely to normalise alcohol consumption for minors and create positive alcohol expectancies.

IMPLICATIONS AND CONCLUSION

Venues serving alcohol should be discouraged from targeting families and parents should be warned about the risks associated with taking minors to venues where alcohol is sold and consumed.

Enhancing the Focus: How Does Parental Incarceration Fit into the Overall Picture of Adverse Childhood Experiences (ACEs) and Positive Childhood Experiences (PCEs)?

Despite the five million children in the U.S. with an incarcerated parent, there is limited research on risk and protective factors for this population. We analyzed data from the National Survey for Children's Health (2018) to: (1) examine associations among parental incarceration and other adverse childhood experiences (ACEs), (2) characterize the association between parental incarceration and youth mental health outcomes, (3) examine differences in positive childhood experiences (PCEs; collective socialization, community engagement, neighborhood amenities, and family problem solving) by parental incarceration status, (4) examine whether PCEs were protective against mental health problems and if there was an interaction with parental incarceration status, and (5) examine the interaction between PCEs, parental incarceration, and ACEs on mental health problems. Results revealed that children with incarcerated parents had higher odds of experiencing other ACEs, higher odds of having mental health problems, and experienced fewer PCEs compared to children without incarcerated parents. Further, although PCEs were associated with a lower odds of mental health problems for both children with and without incarcerated parents, they did not mitigate the negative impact of parental incarceration on mental health outcomes. While PCEs attenuated the association between ACEs and mental health, parental incarceration status did not significantly moderate the interaction. These results highlight vulnerabilities and potential protective factors for children with incarcerated parents and have important implications for the development of multilevel intervention strategies that seek to promote resilience and reduce risk for this population.

Parental Divorce and Trajectories of Alcohol Consumption in Men: A Genetically Informative Perspective

OBJECTIVE

Much of what is known about parental divorce and adult alcohol outcomes comes from cross-sectional comparisons of those who did and did not experience parental divorce. In contrast, far less is known about whether and how parental divorce is associated with alcohol consumption trajectories. We used a longitudinal perspective to investigate the associations between parental divorce and men's alcohol consumption trajectories as well as a genetically informative approach to evaluate whether the pattern of genetic and environmental influences on these trajectories differed for men who did and did not experience parental divorce.

METHOD

The sample included 1,614 adult men from a population-based twin registry in Virginia. Measures of parental divorce (before age 16) and alcohol consumption (between ages 10 and 40) came from interviews and life history calendars. Data were analyzed with growth curve and longitudinal biometric variance component models.

RESULTS

In total, 11% of the sample experienced parental divorce. Parental divorce was associated with higher alcohol consumption intercepts that were sustained over time but was not associated with the linear slope or quadratic curvature of men's alcohol consumption trajectories. Longitudinal biometric variance components modeling indicated that genetic influences on alcohol consumption were higher in adolescence and young adulthood among those who experienced parental divorce compared with those who did not.

CONCLUSIONS

Parental divorce is associated with the shape and relative influence of genetic and environmental factors on men's alcohol consumption trajectories from adolescence through adulthood.

Problematic parental substance use, childhood family structures and adverse outcomes in young adulthood

Aim: The aim of the present study was to investigate the association between childhood family structures, including the presence or absence of problematic parental substance use (PPSU), and adverse outcomes during adolescence/young adulthood. Methods: The study population included 9,770 young people (aged 15-25 years) from samples drawn for two national surveys in Denmark during 2014-2015. By combining surveys with national register data, five types of childhood family structures were constructed based on whether the child experienced PPSU and/or family separation and the number of years the child lived with a parent with substance use problems. Using binary logistic regression models, the relationships between family structure and adverse outcomes in young adulthood (i.e., hospital admissions, mental disorders and criminality) were investigated. Results: Young people who experienced PPSU and did not live with both parents had higher odds of the different long-term adverse outcomes compared with young people who did not experience PPSU, and similar odds of the outcomes compared to youth who had not experienced PPSU and did not live with both parents. The highest odds of adverse outcomes were found among young people who experienced PPSU and lived with the parent with substance use problems for less than five years. Conclusions: Living with both parents protected against adverse outcomes in young adulthood, and if PPSU was present, the odds of adverse outcomes increased. The hypothesis that there would be a positive association between years living with a parent with substance use problems and adverse outcomes in young adulthood was not supported. Awareness should be raised in health service, educational and legal institutions about the risk for young people from families with PPSU who do not live with both parents.

The collaborative study on the genetics of alcoholism: Sample and clinical data

The collaborative study on the genetics of alcoholism (COGA) is a multi-site, multidisciplinary project with the goal of identifying how genes are involved in alcohol use disorder and related outcomes, and characterizing how genetic risk unfolds across development and in conjunction with the environment and brain function. COGA is a multi-generational family-based study in which probands were recruited through alcohol treatment centers, along with a set of community comparison families. Nearly 18,000 individuals from >2200 families have been assessed over a period of over 30 years with a rich phenotypic battery that includes semi-structured psychiatric interviews and questionnaire measures, along with DNA collection and electrophysiological data on a large subset. Participants range in age from 7 to 97, with many having longitudinal assessments, providing a valuable opportunity to study alcohol use and problems across the lifespan. Here we provide an overview of data collection methods for the COGA sample, and details about sample characteristics and comorbidity. We also review key research findings that have emerged from analyses of the COGA data. COGA data are available broadly to researchers, and we hope this overview will encourage further collaboration and use of these data to advance the field.

The Prospective Effects of Caregiver Parenting on Behavioral Health Outcomes for Children with Incarcerated Parents: a Family Resilience Perspective

Rates of parental incarceration in the USA have increased dramatically over the past four decades. The Adverse Childhood Experiences study identified parental incarceration as one of several risk factors related to multiple health outcomes during childhood and adulthood. Parents and other caregivers are widely regarded as sources of resilience for children experiencing adversity, yet few studies have examined caregivers' parenting practices as sources of resilience for children with incarcerated parents. This study used secondary data from a longitudinal randomized controlled trial of the prison-based parent management training program Parenting Inside Out (PIO). Specifically, it included 149 caregivers (i.e., the non-incarcerated parent, extended family member, or other adult who provides the day-to-day caretaking of a child during parental incarceration) of children aged 2-14 years whose incarcerated parents were randomly assigned to receive PIO or the control condition. Path analysis was used to examine associations between caregivers' parenting, social support, self-efficacy, and change in child internalizing and externalizing symptoms across a 6-month period. Direct effects of caregivers' parenting were found on improvements in child behavioral health from baseline (conducted when the parent was incarcerated) to the 6-month follow-up (conducted after most parents had been released). Indirect effects were found for caregiver social support and self-efficacy. The findings highlight the importance of caregivers' adaptive parenting as a protective resource for children who experience parental incarceration and have implications for the design of preventive interventions for this underserved population.

When the "Scytale" of Alcohol Runs in a Family and Alcohol Use Becomes a Transgenerational Issue: Case Report of a Father and Son Attending the Same Therapeutic Program

Children whose parents are diagnosed with alcohol use problems are exposed to genetic and environmental risk factors and face a greater risk of developing mental health and behavioral problems and a higher risk of alcohol use. In this study, we present the case of a father and his son, both diagnosed with alcohol use disorder, who both attended, 12 years apart, the Inpatient Alcohol Treatment Program of the Alcohol Treatment Unit, in the Psychiatric Hospital of Attica, in Athens. The Alcohol Treatment Unit offers two inpatient treatment programs that have been operating since 1996 and are based on the principles of the Therapeutic Community. It was the first time that both a father and son coming from the same family attended one of these programs. The aim of this study is to extract useful information regarding the dynamics of a family in which alcohol dependence is transferred from generation to generation. Therapists try to decode this transference and interpret attitudes and behaviors under these circumstances.

Time trends and associated factors of global burden due to drug use disorders in 204 countries and territories, 1990-2019

BACKGROUND

Drug use disorders (DUDs) have been a public health crisis which strongly impacted community health and socio-economic development. However, there are few studies based on the latest global data to show changes in the disease burden due to DUDs, specifically investigating associations between the country-level socio-economic factors and the burden of DUDs.

METHODS

Data of DUDs were extracted from the Global Burden of Disease Study 2019 database to explore the trends of the disease burden due to DUDs from 1990 to 2019. Univariate linear regression and stepwise multiple linear regression analysis were performed to analyze the correlations between burden due to DUDs and country-level socio-economic factors.

RESULTS

Globally, the number of disability-adjusted life-years (DALYs) caused by DUDs approximately increased by 2.6% yearly from 1990 to 2019, though the age-standardized DALY rate has not changed significantly in the past 30 years. The age-standardized DALY rate of opioid use disorders showed an upward trend during the past 30 years and was highest among 5 types of DUDs in 2019. Inequality-adjusted human development index (β = 15.9, 95% confidence interval [CI]: 12.9-18.9, P < 0.001) was identified as the key risk factor associated with square-root transformed age-standardized DALY rate of DUDs.

CONCLUSIONS

Global burden due to DUDs has increased significantly over the past 30 years. More effective targeted public health policies should be formulated to manage the public health challenge of DUDs, especially in developed countries and territories.

Exploring the mediating role of methamphetamine use in the relationship between adverse childhood experiences and attempted suicide

OBJECTIVE

Methamphetamine (METH) use and adverse childhood experiences (ACEs) has been associated with an increased risk of suicidal behaviour. However, whether METH use underlies the risk of suicide attributable to ACEs is unknown and warrants investigation to inform preventive interventions. In this study, we examined the mediating role of METH use in the relationship between attempted suicide and ACEs.

METHOD

METH users recruited from a mandatory detoxification center (n = 346) and healthy controls (n = 342) both completed a survey related to 9 types of ACE, which was based the Family Health Questionnaire. A lifetime history of attempted suicide was obtained using the Chinese version of the Composite International Diagnostic Interview. We conducted a bootstrapped mediation analysis to examine the mediating effect of METH use on the association between ACEs and attempted suicide.

RESULTS

Female gender, METH use, and having multiple (≥3) ACEs were associated with an increased risk of attempted suicide. A dose-response relationship between the number of ACEs and suicide rate was observed among individuals with METH use. METH use significantly mediated the association between ACEs and attempted suicide in those with multiple (2 and 3 ACEs respectively with proportion mediated 0.16 and 0.42) and specific types of ACEs (physical abuse, witnessing maternal battering, household substance abuse, sexual abuse, and parental separation with proportion mediated 0.25, 0.35, 0.38, 0.48, 0.47 respectively).

CONCLUSION

Our study is the first to demonstrate that METH use partially mediates the association between ACEs and attempted suicide. Addressing METH use in people with ACEs could reduce their suicide risk.

Oral Health Implications of Risky Behaviors in Adolescence

Adolescence is a time for new discoveries, which may lead teens to engage in impulsive behaviors. Although social media and the Internet have brought great benefits to the world, they can also have a negative influence on adolescents, facilitating their engagement in risky behaviors. Positive parenting and healthy friendships in adolescence have a protective effect against sensation-seeking behaviors. Dental practitioners also have a significant role in steering young patients toward healthy behaviors. They play an essential role in the early recognition, initiation of appropriate interventions, and referrals for treatment of youth at risk.

Age of first alcohol intoxication and psychiatric disorders in young adulthood - A prospective birth cohort study

OBJECTIVE

Early onset of alcohol use is associated with an increased risk of substance use disorders (SUD), but few studies have examined associations with other psychiatric disorders. Our aim was to study the association between the age of first alcohol intoxication (AFI) and the risk of psychiatric disorders in a Finnish general population sample.

METHODS

We utilized a prospective, general population-based study, the Northern Finland Birth Cohort 1986. In all, 6,290 15-16-year old adolescents answered questions on AFI and were followed up until the age of 33 years for psychiatric disorders (any psychiatric disorder, psychosis, SUD, mood disorders and anxiety disorders) by using nationwide register linkage data. Cox-regression analysis with Hazard Ratios (HR, with 95% confidence intervals (CI)) was used to assess the risk of psychiatric disorders associated with AFI.

RESULTS

Statistically significant associations were observed between AFI and any psychiatric disorder, psychosis, SUDs, and mood disorders. After adjustments for other substance use, family structure, sex and parental psychiatric disorders, AFIs of 13-14 years and ≤12 years were associated with SUD (HR = 5.30; 95%CI 2.38-11.82 and HR = 6.49; 95%CI 2.51-16.80, respectively), while AFI ≤ 12 years was associated with any psychiatric disorder (HR = 1.59; 95%CI 1.26-2.02) and mood disorders (HR = 1.81; 95%CI 1.22-2.68). After further adjustments for Youth Self Report total scores, AFI ≤ 14 was associated with an increased risk of SUD and AFI ≤ 12 with an increased risk of any psychiatric disorder.

CONCLUSIONS

We found significant associations between the early age of first alcohol intoxication, later SUD and any psychiatric disorder in a general population sample. This further supports the need for preventive efforts to postpone the first instances of adolescent alcohol intoxication.

Parental separation and offspring morbidity in adulthood: a descriptive study of the Northern Finland Birth Cohort 1966

Aims: Rates of parental separation have increased dramatically in recent decades. We evaluated the association of individuals' childhood family structure with their somatic health over 46 years of follow-up. Methods: Data were drawn from the Northern Finland Birth Cohort, an ongoing project in which 12,058 participants born in 1966 have been followed from their 24th gestational week. Based on information supplied at age 14 years, family structure was categorised as 'single-parent family' and 'two-parent family'. The anthropometric information, data from blood samples and medical history were collected from postal questionnaires and clinical examinations routinely performed at the ages of 31 and 46 years. Results: The study population comprised a total of 10,895 individuals; 85% (n=9253) were offspring of two-parent families and 15% (n=1642) of single-parent families. Type 2 diabetes (P=0.032) or prediabetes (P=0.007), psychoactive drug problems (P<0.001) and sexually transmitted diseases (P<0.001) were more common in the single-parent family group than in the participants from two-parent families. In addition, among men back diseases (P=0.002), and among women hypertension (P=0.003) and ovary infection (P=0.024) were more frequent in individuals affected by parental death than in those from two-parent families. Conclusions: Our results indicate the association of childhood family structure with offspring morbidity during 46 years' follow-up. The lifetime morbidity was observed to be higher among offspring from a single-parent family compared to two-parent family offspring. Public and scientific concern about the consequences of parental separation on the offspring' health exist, therefore support from healthcare professionals and society is warranted.

The Influence of Cross-Fostering on Alcohol Consumption and Depressive-Like Behaviors in HA and LA Mice: The Role of the Endogenous Opioid System

The development of alcohol dependence and depression is determined by various genetic and environmental factors. In the presented study, we used high analgesia (HA) and low analgesia (LA) mouse lines, characterized by different endogenous opioid system activity and divergent blood–brain barrier permeability, to determine the influence of cross-fostering of these lines raised by surrogate mothers on ethanol consumption and development of depressive-like behaviors. We also investigated ethanol drinking by biological parents or surrogate mothers. Furthermore, we investigated whether these parental changes would alter the effect of naloxone on ethanol intake and depressive-like behaviors in offspring. Our results reveal that cross-fostering of HA and LA raised by surrogate mothers has a greater impact on depressive-like behaviors than ethanol consumption. Ethanol intake by biological parents substantially affected depressive-like behaviors and ethanol consumption in offspring. Moreover, ethanol intake by biological parents or an adoptive mother modified the effect of naloxone on ethanol consumption and preference and depressive-like behaviors in the HA offspring only. Together, these results indicate that cross-fostering differentially affects the effect of naloxone on alcohol consumption and the development of depression.

Young adult predictors of alcohol dependence to age 53: a 44-year prospective cohort study of Danish men

AIMS

To examine if (1) there is a positive association between drinking volume in young men and life-time risk of alcohol dependence (AD) and (2) there are other associations between young adulthood factors and life-time risk of AD.

DESIGN

Prospective cohort study of sons of fathers with alcohol use disorder (AUD) and matched low-risk controls without paternal AUD. Setting and participants A total of 204 men, who were assessed at baseline in 1979 at age 19-20 years, were followed through record linkage with Danish registers and consecutive psychiatric interviews at the ages of 33, 43 and 53 years.

MEASUREMENTS

AD diagnoses were interview-based according to the Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders, 3rd edition, or made by treating clinicians according to the International Classification of Diseases (ICD) revision 8 (ICD-8) until 1993 and revision 10 (ICD-10) from 1994.We estimated odds ratios (ORs) with 95% confidence intervals (CI) for the development of AD after adjustment for confounders including smoking, social status and paternal AUD.

FINDINGS

The following variables from the examination at age 19-20 independently predicted life-time AD: alcohol consumption > 21 beverages/week versus 0-21 [odds ratio (OR) = 2.46, 95% confidence interval (CI) = 1.22-4.97], police contact (OR = 2.60, 95% CI = 1.28-5.28) and institutionalization related to the individual (OR = 2.90, 95% CI = 1.39-6.02). Compared with < 1 beverages/week, the risk for AD did not increase significantly for drinking volume categories: 1-7, 8-14 or 15-21 beverages/week.

CONCLUSION

Independently of other risk factors in young adulthood, young Danish men's risk for life-time alcohol dependence appears to be predicted by a drinking volume at age 19-20 years exceeding 21 beverages per week.

Prevalence of Substance Use among Psychotic Patients and Determining Its Strongest Predictor

Objective: Although comorbidity of psychotic disorders and substance use can lead to increase in mortality, less is known about the outbreak and predictors. Psychotic patients tend to be overlooked during assessment; hence, the possibility of an undertreated or missed condition such as increasing substance use. This investigation aimed to measure the prevalence of substance use in psychotic patients and to survey the powerful predictors.

Method: In a 1-year cross-sectional study, 311 psychotic patients were assessed using the Structured Interview Based on DSM-5 for diagnostic confirmation as well as questions surveying prevalence and possible predictors of substance use.

Results: Prevalence of substance use among psychotic patients was 37.9%. Several variables were identified as factors associated with drug abuse among the psychotic patients. These included male gender, younger age, being currently homeless, a history of imprisonment, and having family history of drug use. The strongest predictors of substance use, however, were family history of drug use, male gender, and being currently homelessness.

Conclusion: Policymakers should note the importance of substance use among psychotic patients. Developing active screening strategies and comprehensive preventive plans, especially in the high-risk population, is suggested.

Parental divorce and offspring smoking and alcohol use: a systematic review and meta-analysis of observational studies

OBJECTIVE

This study was conducted to investigate the relationship between parental divorce and smoking and alcohol consumption in offspring, which is based on a systematic review method and ultimately meta-analysis. Method: In a systematic search, three databases were selected. The manuscripts were searched based on the keywords and the time limit for the search was published manuscripts in English until November 2020. For the relationship between parental divorce and smoking/alcohol use in offspring, one main analysis, and four analyses based on sex, study design, adjusted level, and continents were performed. Result: Forty-three studies were synthesized from the collection of manuscripts. The odds of smoking in offspring whose parents were separated was 1.45 (CI 1.37-1.54) and this odds in men was equal to 1.38 (CI 1.11-1.71; Z = 2.91; p = 0.004; I² = 81.5%) and in women, 1.78 (CI 1.51-2.10; Z = 6.88; p < 0.001; I² = 69.6%). The odds of alcohol use in offspring whose parents were separated was 1.43 (CI 1.15-1.77) and this odds in men was equal to 1.69 (CI 1.16-2.47; Z = 2.73; p = 0.006; I² = 99.6%) and in women 1.79 (CI 1.07-2.99). Discussion: The findings of the present study can be used in health-related policies, prevention, and clinical interventions. This study was a subject with limitations, also.

The intergenerational transmission of harsh parenting, substance use, and emotional distress: Impact on the third-generation child

The current study evaluated the intergenerational transmission of harsh parenting, substance use, and emotional distress across generations and the association with child aggression. The study included 218 Generation 1 (G1) mothers and fathers, their adolescent (Generation 2; G2) who participated from middle adolescence through adulthood, and the 3rd-generation (G3) child between ages 3-5 years and 6-10 years. G1 behavior was examined when G2 was 16 and 18 years old; G2 alcohol problems and marijuana use were assessed when G2 was 19 and 21 years old. G2 emotional distress and harsh parenting were examined when the G3 child was between 3 and 5 years old. Finally, G3 aggression was assessed between 6 and 10 years old. Results showed continuity of G1 behavior when G2 was in adolescence to G2 behavior in adulthood. G1 alcohol problems and G1 harsh parenting were both associated with G3 aggression through G2 alcohol problems, G2 emotional distress, and G2 harsh parenting. Results suggest that G1 problem behavior as experienced by G2 adolescents in the family of origin plays an important role in G2 alcohol problems in emerging adulthood, which leads to G2 emotional distress and G2 harsh parenting in adulthood, which is related to G3 aggression in the early elementary school years. (PsycInfo Database Record (c) 2020 APA, all rights reserved).

Educational attainment by children with parental alcohol problems in Denmark and Finland

Background:

Adverse childhood experiences have negative outcomes for children, yet previous research suggests the independent effect of parental alcohol problems is inconsistent.

Objectives:

Our aim was (1) to compare educational attainment among Danish and Finnish youth with parental alcohol problems and (2) to study the associations between parental alcohol problems and children’s educational attainment in these two Nordic welfare states.

Data and methods:

Administrative longitudinal data on children born in 1991 in Finland (n = 64,696) and Denmark (n = 64,138) and their biological parents. The children were followed until their 21st birthdays. We applied a mediation analysis to investigate how the association between parental alcohol problems and children’s educational attainment is mediated by four indicators for poor socioeconomic family background (low parental education, long-term economic distress, psychiatric disorders, and living in a non-intact family).

Results:

At age 20 years, Finnish children were more likely to complete their education than their Danish peers. Young adults with parental alcohol problems faced early school leaving more frequently in both countries compared with their peers, but the relative risk was higher in Finland. In both countries, long-term economic distress mediated the highest proportion of the effect of alcohol problems (39% in Denmark and 34% in Finland). Low parental education and psychiatric disorders mediated part of the effect, but not to the same degree as economic distress.

Conclusions:

Ensuring education for children with parental alcohol problems is a key to improving their long-term outcomes in different life domains. Consequently, healthcare, social work and education sectors should prioritise advancing education among these children in order to prevent their exclusion from education and labour markets, and they should cooperate closely in doing so.

Trauma Exposure and Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder Among Youth in a High-Risk Family Study: Associations with Maternal and Paternal Alcohol Use Disorder

This study presents findings regarding the prevalence of trauma exposure and Posttraumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD) based on discrete types of trauma (physical, sexual, witnessed violence, and non-assaultive trauma) among 3404 youth in a family study of Alcohol Use Disorder (AUD). Data from the Collaborative Study on the Genetics of Alcoholism (COGA) were used to examine associations of parent AUD with offspring's childhood trauma exposure, and with lifetime diagnosis of DSM-IV PTSD among White and Black participants aged 12-35. Of 3404 youth, 59.7% had parents affected by AUD and 78% experienced ≤1 traumatic events before age 18. AUD in one or both parents was associated with physical, sexual, and witnessed violence among Whites. Among African Americans, maternal AUD was associated with sexual assault. The lifetime PTSD rate among youth exposed to childhood trauma was 8.6%, and mother-only AUD was significantly associated with lifetime PTSD among participants in both groups. PTSD among youth in this study were somewhat higher (7.9% to 8.83%) than those found in general population studies of the same demographic (5% to 6.8%). Maternal AUD appears to be a salient risk factor for sexual assault before age 18 among Black and development of lifetime PTSD among White youth.

Revisiting resilience: Examining the relationships between stress, social support, and drinking behavior among black college students with parental substance use disorder histories

The study examined the role social support plays in the relationship between life stress and problem alcohol use behavior in a sample of Black emerging adults in college with histories of parental substance use disorders (SUD). Participants were 1,007 Black emerging adult college students, recruited as part of a larger multi-wave, multisite, study investigating coping behavior among emerging adults in college. Findings suggest that Black college students with parental SUDs engage in riskier and coping motivated drinking behaviors more than those without such histories, and their alcohol use behaviors are more strongly linked to experiencing life stress, despite similar levels of perceived social support. Social support from friends and sufficient global social support help to mediate this adverse relationship. Parental SUD may serve as a readily identifiable risk factor for risky drinking behavior among Black college students. Implications for future research and clinical practice are presented.

Psychosocial moderation of polygenic risk for cannabis involvement: the role of trauma exposure and frequency of religious service attendance

Cannabis use and disorders (CUD) are influenced by multiple genetic variants of small effect and by the psychosocial environment. However, this information has not been effectively incorporated into studies of gene-environment interaction (GxE). Polygenic risk scores (PRS) that aggregate the effects of genetic variants can aid in identifying the links between genetic risk and psychosocial factors. Using data from the Pasman et al. GWAS of cannabis use (meta-analysis of data from the International Cannabis Consortium and UK Biobank), we constructed PRS in the Collaborative Study on the Genetics of Alcoholism (COGA) participants of European (N: 7591) and African (N: 3359) ancestry. The primary analyses included only individuals of European ancestry, reflecting the ancestral composition of the discovery GWAS from which the PRS was derived. Secondary analyses included the African ancestry sample. Associations of PRS with cannabis use and DSM-5 CUD symptom count (CUDsx) and interactions with trauma exposure and frequency of religious service attendance were examined. Models were adjusted for sex, birth cohort, genotype array, and ancestry. Robustness models were adjusted for cross-term interactions. Higher PRS were associated with a greater likelihood of cannabis use and with CUDsx among participants of European ancestry (p < 0.05 and p < 0.1 thresholds, respectively). PRS only influenced cannabis use among those exposed to trauma (R2: 0.011 among the trauma exposed vs. R2: 0.002 in unexposed). PRS less consistently influenced cannabis use among those who attend religious services less frequently; PRS × religious service attendance effects were attenuated when cross-term interactions with ancestry and sex were included in the model. Polygenic liability to cannabis use was related to cannabis use and, less robustly, progression to symptoms of CUD. This study provides the first evidence of PRS × trauma for cannabis use and demonstrates that ignoring important aspects of the psychosocial environment may mask genetic influences on polygenic traits.

Early Sexual Trauma Exposure and Neural Response Inhibition in Adolescence and Young Adults: Trajectories of Frontal Theta Oscillations During a Go/No-Go Task

OBJECTIVE

Trauma, particularly when experienced early in life, can alter neurophysiologic and behavioral development, thereby increasing risk for substance use disorders and related psychopathology. However, few studies have empirically examined trauma using well-characterized developmental samples that are followed longitudinally.

METHOD

The association of assaultive, non-assaultive, and sexual assaultive experiences before 10 years of age with developmental trajectories of brain function during response inhibition was examined by measuring electrophysiologic theta and delta oscillations during no-go and go conditions in an equal probability go/no-go task. Data were drawn from the Collaborative Study of the Genetics of Alcoholism (COGA) prospective cohort, composed of offspring who were aged 12 through 22 years at enrollment from high-risk and comparison families, with follow-ups at 2-year intervals since 2004. In addition, other important predictors of neurophysiologic functioning (eg, substance use, impulsivity, and parental alcohol use disorders) were investigated. Moreover, associations of neurophysiologic functioning with alcohol and cannabis use disorder symptom counts and externalizing and internalizing psychopathology were examined.

RESULTS

Individuals exposed to sexual assaultive trauma before 10 years of age had slower rates of change in developmental trajectories of no-go frontal theta during response inhibition. Importantly, effects remained significant after accounting for exposure to other traumatic exposures, such as parental history of alcohol use disorder and participants' substance use, but not measures of impulsivity. Further, slower rates of change in no-go frontal theta adolescent and young adult development were associated with increased risk for alcohol use disorder symptoms and internalizing psychopathology, but not for cannabis use disorder symptoms or externalizing psychopathology.

CONCLUSION

Childhood sexual assault is associated with atypical frontal neurophysiologic development during response inhibition. This could reflect alterations in frontal lobe development, synaptic pruning, and/or cortical maturation involving neural circuits for inhibitory control. These same areas could be associated with increased risk for young adult alcohol use disorder symptoms and internalizing psychopathology. These findings support the hypothesis that changes in neurocognitive development related to early sexual trauma exposure could increase the risk for mental health and substance use problems in young adulthood.

Psychosocial and neural indicators of resilience among youth with a family history of substance use disorder

BACKGROUND

Little is known regarding the combined influence of psychosocial and neural protective mechanisms against substance use. The present study examined the extent to which neuroimaging measures of disinhibition predicted resilience against binge drinking and marijuana use among youth with a family history of substance use disorder (SUD; FH+), accounting for psychosocial measures of behavioral control.

METHODS

Participants were 57 FH+ youth from the Michigan Longitudinal Study categorized into resilient and high-risk groups based on patterns of weekly binge drinking and monthly marijuana use during early adulthood. Psychosocial measures of behavioral control (reactive control and externalizing behavior during early and late adolescence) and neural measures of disinhibition (Go/No-Go task and Monetary Incentive Delay Task (MIDT) measured through functional magnetic resonance imaging (fMRI)) were entered sequentially in hierarchical logistic regression models to predict resilient versus high-risk groups.

RESULTS

Greater activation in the right dorsolateral prefrontal cortex (DLPFC) during correctly inhibited trials on the Go/No-Go task was a significant predictor of resilience (OR = 2.46, p < 0.05), over and above greater reactive control in early adolescence (OR = 4.96, p < 0.05) and lower externalizing behavior in late adolescence (OR = 0.64, p < 0.05). Neural activation in the ventral striatum associated with reward anticipation during the MIDT was not a significant predictor of resilience.

CONCLUSIONS

Brain function in the right DLPFC associated with inhibitory control may be a neural indicator of resilience against elevated substance use among FH+ youth, even after accounting for psychosocial measures of behavioral control.