Adolescent girls and boys may experience the family differently as well. For instance, girls typically are more enmeshed in the family than boys during adolescence (Davies & Lindsay, 2004). However, relationships and experiences within the family are particularly important for adolescents, regardless of their gender. Research has shown that for both girls and boys, family risk (e.g., family conflict and attachment) positively predicts substance use and delinquency (Fagan, Van Horn, Antaramian, & Hawkins, 2011). However, Skeer and colleagues (2011) found that experiencing conflict within the family during childhood predicted substance use disorders for adolescent girls, but not for boys. Research also suggests that parenting factors (e.g., parental warmth) have protective effects against adolescent binge drinking for girls but not boys (Stickley et al., 2013). The inconsistent findings examining the role of the family in outcomes for adolescent girls' and boys' highlight the need for future studies. Therefore, this study sought to disentangle the unique effects of maternal and paternal problem drinking on adolescent girls and boys substance use and externalizing behaviors, while considering the role of family functioning.
