Predictors of Substance Abuse and Affective Diagnoses: Does Having a Family History of Alcoholism Make a Difference?

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Abstract
Discriminant function analyses were employed among adult offspring of alcoholics family history positive [FH+]; n = 85) and offspring of nonalcoholics (family history negative[FH-1; n = 68) to determine whether characteristics of the individual and the context predict substance abuse or dependence or affective diagnoses. As expected, sex was a significant predictor, with men being more likely to have received a diagnosis for substance problems and women being more likely to have received a diagnosis for anxiety or depression. In addition, low social support from friends significantly predicted alcohol and drug diagnoses for the FH+ subgroup but not for the FH- subgroup, whereas low social support from family members significantly predicted depression for both subgroups. Finally, having a negative life orientation, high harm avoidance, and low family cohesion significantly predicted depression for the FH- subgroup but not for the FH+ subgroup. Implications regarding prevention and intervention are discussed.

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