At the study's inception, high‐risk families were ascertained through probands who were undergoing treatment for AUDs at six sites across the United States. These were the University of Connecticut (Farmington, CT), SUNY Downstate (Brooklyn, NY), Indiana University (Indianapolis, IN), University of Iowa (Iowa City, IA), Washington University (St Louis, MO), and University of California San Diego. Probands were recruited from inpatient and outpatient treatment facilities to ensure a high level of AUD severity that would optimize identification of AUD susceptibility genes and AUD‐linked brain dysfunction. Probands were interviewed with a comprehensive assessment created specifically for the project—the SSAGA interview—which was found to be highly reliable and valid. 4 , 5 , 6 Those who met criteria for both DSM‐3R alcohol dependence 7 and Feighner alcoholism at the definite level 8 were enrolled. The assessment covered a wide range of health behaviors, substance use patterns and associated problems, and psychiatric symptoms that may have occurred at any point in participants' lifetimes. All first‐degree relatives aged 7 or older were sought for interview with developmentally appropriate versions of the SSAGA. In addition,
