Relationship between the course of primary alcoholism in men and family history.

Structured interviews were conducted with 453 men primary alcoholics and with up to two resource persons for each patient to investigate the association between the sex of an alcoholic parent and the course of alcoholism in the subject. Earlier and more severe alcohol-related and antisocial problems were found among subjects with any alcoholic parent than among those without an alcoholic parent. The highest level of problems was noted for subjects with both parents alcoholics. There were few differences between the sons of alcoholic fathers and the sons of alcoholic mothers but the latter demonstrated significantly more drug misuse.