Abstract
Purpose
The substantial literature showing that offspring of parents with alcohol use disorder (AUD) is at increased risk for externalizing psychopathology rarely examines the differential effects of parental and offspring sex. This literature also has other important limitations, such as modest sample sizes and use of unrepresentative samples. Using a large, nationwide Swedish sample, we aim to investigate the roles of parental and offspring sex in externalizing psychopathology among offspring with parental AUD.
Methods
AUD diagnosis and externalizing measures were obtained from national registries. Associations between outcomes and parental AUD were examined using logistic regressions. Parental and offspring sex effects were examined with interaction terms.
Results
Risks for externalizing disorders were increased in sons and daughters with parental AUD, with significant differences between sons and daughters for criminal behavior; maternal AUD had a greater impact than paternal AUD (regardless of offspring sex), but having two parents with AUD increased risk for all outcomes substantially more than having one parent; and maternal AUD increased risk of drug abuse for daughters more than sons, while paternal AUD increased risk of AUD and criminal behavior for sons more than daughters.
Conclusions
Offspring of parents with AUD are at increased risk for externalizing psychopathology. Maternal and paternal AUD differentially affected sons’ vs. daughters’ risks for AUD, drug abuse, and criminal behavior. The transmission of psychopathology within the externalizing spectrum appears to have sex-specific elements.