This was a five year study of black children ages 8-17 at high and low risk for alcohol-related problems based on a history of parental alcoholism. A prospective design was used to identify the specific disorders for which these children are at heightened vulnerability, and salient risk and protective processes in the development of the various types of childhood disorders. The major goals of the study were: 1. to examine the extent and patterns of psychopathology and behavioral problems among the offspring ages 8-17 of black alcoholic parents; 2. to assess the role of familial transmission of alcohol abuse/dependence and comorbid psychopathology, including substance abuse/dependence, in the pathogenesis of alcohol abuse in children; and 3. to identify multiple risk and protective indices of the pathogenesis of alcohol problems in black youth in order to yield information on the key targets of prevention and intervention. The key features of the study were: the sample of black alcohol abusers with young children about which there are sparse data; the epidemiologic source of the sample, which strengthened the generalizability of the findings and minimizes the bias in ascertainment of minorities from specialty treatment settings; the application of an epidemiologic family study paradigm, which permitted assessment of factors associated with familial transmission of risk factors and the mechanisms thereof; evaluation of the role of comorbidity of anxiety disorders and alcoholism in the transmission of alcohol-related problems; comprehensive assessment of vulnerability factors from broad domains or risk encompassing personal, family, and environmental attributes including community violence; the provision of knowledge essential for prevention through the assessment of protective factors which may inhibit pathogenic processes among children at high risk. Data collection of this study was completed at Yale University before the Principal Investigator?s relocation to the NIMH. The resources of our section have been devoted to preparation of these data for analysis and subsequent publications. This research provides a model for conducting studies of social epidemiology of mental disorders and substance abuse. During the past year, we have completed data cleaning and coding. The data are now ready for statistical analyses of the key study questions.
