Familial drinking history, gender, and family environment as predictors of alcohol use patterns and psychological adjustment among college students

This study examined the effects of parental alcoholism, gender, and family environment on alcohol use patterns and psychological adjustment of a non-clinical sample of college students. Participants were 543 students from introductory psychology courses at a large midwestern university. Adult children of alcoholics (ACAs) were found to have greater perceived external locus of control and greater problematic alcohol use than adult children of non-alcoholics. These findings were primarily attributable to differences in gender and family functioning. No significant differences were found between ACAs and non-ACAs in self-esteem, self-realization, or motives for drinking. When compared with parental alcoholism, gender and family functioning proved to be better predictors of college student outcomes. These findings suggest that identification of persons as ACAs has limited utility in predicting alcohol use patterns and psychological adjustment, particularly within college settings