Psychiatric diagnostic patterns were examined in a group of adolescent psychiatric inpatients and in youths apprehended by the law for alcohol-related difficulties. Affective disorder in parents was most closely correlated with a similar patient diagnosis or constellation of depressive-type symptoms in both samples of youth. Parental antisocial personalities, alcohol abuse or drug problems correlated most closely with high levels of similar difficulties in individuals in the 2 studied groups. Antisocial, alcohol, or drug problems of a mild degree were present in all subgroups of the 2 samples, perhaps representing a nonspecific reaction to parental illness or the occurrence of a broken home. A follow-up of future problems will determine the importance of the family history and clinical picture in predicting the future course of problems.