Furthermore, substance dependence traits (and more generally, a subset of behavioral traits) are particularly susceptible to cultural influences which should be considered in selecting the appropriate analyses. Cultural expectations of drinking behavior vary by sex. Patterns of alcohol consumption in China are influenced by a history of medicinal alcohol use and drinking to enhance social and business bonds that encourages more alcohol consumption by males. Previous studies have found that Chinese men consume up to 13 times as much alcohol as Chinese women. (Cochrane et al. 2003) In this sample, the relatively low rates of AD among women in these AD-enriched families can be understood in the context of a high rate of lifelong abstention from alcohol. Abstention is problematic for analyses of genetic risk factors for alcoholism as it can indicate environmental effects (such as cultural influences), a lack of desire for alcohol (suggesting low genetic risk), or a reaction to specific experiences such as observing the negative effects of alcoholism on relatives (suggesting a high level of genetic risk). As a result, the inclusion of both male and
