The implications for future research involve disentangling the matrix of factors that contribute to trauma and PTSD risk among the offspring of parents with AUD. Future studies of parental AUD and offspring trauma exposure should take into account the temporality of events, parent trauma history, and additional mental health outcomes following the experience of trauma. In addition, because the sex of the parent affected by alcohol is associated with certain types of serious traumatic exposure—e.g. childhood sexual abuse—future studies could help us understand the reasons and implications for this apparent relationship. At a minimum, clinical implications involve screening to detect signs of trauma exposure and PTSD among children where one or both parents are affected by AUD so that appropriate supports and intervention strategies can be put in place as early in the child’s life as possible. Pediatricians, school social workers, and other professionals who work with children should be especially attuned to the very young ages at which serious trauma exposure may occur in families affected by AUD. Among families where one or both primary caregivers is known to
