Having an alcohol dependent biological father and/or mother was strongly associated with becoming sexually active at age 16 or younger. These effects persisted after controlling for other predictor variables. Alcohol dependence within a family is linked with a number of environmental factors (e.g., limited parental supervision, reduced family cohesion, marital discord, and dysfunctional parental–child relationships) which possibly influence the behavioral problems of children and adolescents, including early sexual activity (Anderson & Quast, 1983; Moos & Billings, 1982; Prewett, Spence, & Chaknis, 1981; Roche et al., 2005; Schuckit & Chiles, 1978). A shared genetic vulnerability to disinhibitory behavior could also play an important role. Regardless of the mechanisms explaining the association, the results from the current study lend further support to the existing literature on the link between parental alcohol dependence and potentially risky behavioral patterns exhibited by their children.
