Several limitations of the current study are noteworthy. First, the generalizability of our findings, especially the observation of null associations, should be viewed in the context of ascertainment. The sample recruited offspring, many of whom were at high familial liability to alcohol use disorders. Consequently, only 38.3% of the offspring report that neither of their parents had an alcohol use disorder. Given the co-aggregation of other substance use and suicidal thoughts and behaviors with alcohol use disorders, it is not surprising that the prevalence of substance involvement in this sample is higher than estimates from the general U.S. population (e.g. 44.8% in the National Household Survey of Drug Use and Health versus 63% in COGA; U.S.Department of Heath and Human Services, 2014). Similarly, our estimate of SI (30.2%) is considerably higher than that for similarly aged individuals in the National Comorbidity Survey – Replication (18%; (Kessler et al., 2004)). Even though we control for family history, and it exerts significant effect, it is possible that our study design influenced the pattern of our results. It is also noteworthy that rates
