Overall, this study adds to a growing body of work using innovative research designs to address issues of causation in alcoholic families. Despite methodological limitations, the present findings offer important insight into risk mechanisms underlying the association between parental alcoholism and offspring behavior problems. Continued research on causal processes is necessary, including a more comprehensive analysis of the role of other correlated but yet unmeasured genetic and environmental risks. Co-parent history of AUD and comorbid psychopathology in both parents as well as offspring will be especially important to examine to ensure specificity of observed effects, but also to identify potential mechanisms of mediation or risk moderation.
