Sensitive developmental periods refer to life phases such as middle childhood and adolescence during which exposures to risk factors and stressors may be particularly salient. For example, sensitive periods have been examined with respect to trauma exposure and later depression (14) and post-traumatic stress disorder (15). In the case of parental EB and young adult AUD, heightened risk is expected given instability likely to be experienced by children and adolescents exposed to parental EB, the role of parental modeling of EB (16), and the stress-sensitive and dynamic neurodevelopmental processes at play during these early years (17, 18). This question has been previously addressed in the context of child physical abuse. A recent study of US young adults found physical abuse starting in adolescence increased risk for pathological drinking behaviors including AUD (19). This is noteworthy, as early childhood represents a developmental period especially sensitive to the impact of child abuse on subsequent functioning (20). However, some studies have found that abuse exposure during adolescence leads to later alcohol misuse (21, 22). With respect to parental EB exposure, previous research has
