One area of research that remains understudied and in many respects without clear results is the role of gender in the effects of parental alcoholism on offspring mental health. Expectations for such a role are perhaps high because of the clear gender differences in the prevalence of substance use disorders, as well as mood, anxiety, and other psychiatric disorders (Kessler et al., 1997). Studies that have considered the interaction between offspring gender and family or parental history of alcoholism on psychiatric morbidity have typically focused on substance use and/or a limited number of mood, anxiety, or personality disorders (Dawson and Grant, 1998; Sher et al., 1991; Winokur and Coryell, 1991). Furthermore, such studies have produced varied results, with some studies suggesting that women may be at relatively increased risk for some of the negative outcomes associated with a family history of alcoholism (Berkowitz and Perkins, 1988; Chassin et al., 1999; Chermack et al., 2000; Crum and Harris, 1996; Curran et al., 1999; Sher et al., 1991) and other studies suggesting that genetic factors in the transmission of alcoholism in particular
