Effects of family drinking history and expectancies on responses to alcohol in men.

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Abstract
The effects of family drinking history and expectancies on responses to alcohol were studied in men nonproblem drinkers aged 19-30. Subjects (24) who reported a history of parental alcoholism (FH+) were compared with matched controls who did not have such a family history (FH-) on their responses to drinking either a placebo beverage, a low dose of alcohol or a high dose of alcohol. Despite comparable levels of tolerance and blood alcohol levels (BAL), FH- subjects reported higher levels of intoxication, behavioral impairment, anesthesia and central stimulation than FH+ subjects, regardless of the dose consumed. FH+ subjects did more poorly on a timed motor task. There were no significant differences between the 2 groups on their self-reported beliefs about the effects of alcohol. Multiple-regression analyses showed that BAL accounted for a greater percentage of the variance in the self-report data of FH- subjects; expectancies were more predictive for the FH+ subjects. FH+ subjects apparently did not base their evaluations of the effects of alcohol as closely on the internal and external consequences of intoxication. This finding is discussed as being 1 component of their heightened risk for developing alcoholism.