This research builds on prior findings related to the effects of parental divorce and parental alcohol problems on the lifetime alcohol dependence by their children by examining the effects of maternal and/or paternal alcohol problems on offspring lifetime alcohol dependence, after controlling for parental divorce and parental emotional and behavioral problems. It is the first study to examine the main and interactive effects of parental divorce and maternal versus paternal alcohol problems on offspring lifetime alcohol dependence using a large, nationally representative sample where the respondents were all assessed using DSM-IV diagnostic criteria for lifetime alcohol dependence.
