Children of parents with substance abuse disorders had higher rates of conduct disorder and substance use
Question Are parental substance abuse and anxiety disorders risk factors for psychopathology in offspring?
Design
Cohort study.
Setting
New Haven, Connecticut, USA.
Participants
192 children (mean age 12 y, 51% boys) of 123 white parents (mean age 39 y). There were 77 children of 52 parents with substance abuse disorders, 58 children of 36 parents with anxiety disorders, and 57 children of 35 parents with no history of psychiatric disorders (control group parents). Parents were recruited from alcohol, drug, anxiety, and general treatment settings or by a random procedure. Exclusion criteria were organic mental impairment, schizoaffective disorder, or schizophrenia.
Assessment of risk factors
Both parents of each child were independently interviewed for substance abuse and anxiety disorders using the Schedule for Affective Disorders and Schizophrenia, modified to include criteria from the Diagnostic and Statistical …
