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The role of parent and offspring sex on risk for externalizing psychopathology in offspring with parental alcohol use disorder : a national Swedish study

Long, E. C. ; Lönn, S. L. LU ; Sundquist, J. LU ; Sundquist, K. LU and Kendler, K. S. LU (2018) In Social Psychiatry and Psychiatric Epidemiology 53(12). p.1381-1389
Abstract

Purpose: The substantial literature showing that offspring of parents with alcohol use disorder (AUD) is at increased risk for externalizing psychopathology rarely examines the differential effects of parental and offspring sex. This literature also has other important limitations, such as modest sample sizes and use of unrepresentative samples. Using a large, nationwide Swedish sample, we aim to investigate the roles of parental and offspring sex in externalizing psychopathology among offspring with parental AUD. Methods: AUD diagnosis and externalizing measures were obtained from national registries. Associations between outcomes and parental AUD were examined using logistic regressions. Parental and offspring sex effects were... (More)

Purpose: The substantial literature showing that offspring of parents with alcohol use disorder (AUD) is at increased risk for externalizing psychopathology rarely examines the differential effects of parental and offspring sex. This literature also has other important limitations, such as modest sample sizes and use of unrepresentative samples. Using a large, nationwide Swedish sample, we aim to investigate the roles of parental and offspring sex in externalizing psychopathology among offspring with parental AUD. Methods: AUD diagnosis and externalizing measures were obtained from national registries. Associations between outcomes and parental AUD were examined using logistic regressions. Parental and offspring sex effects were examined with interaction terms. Results: Risks for externalizing disorders were increased in sons and daughters with parental AUD, with significant differences between sons and daughters for criminal behavior; maternal AUD had a greater impact than paternal AUD (regardless of offspring sex), but having two parents with AUD increased risk for all outcomes substantially more than having one parent; and maternal AUD increased risk of drug abuse for daughters more than sons, while paternal AUD increased risk of AUD and criminal behavior for sons more than daughters. Conclusions: Offspring of parents with AUD are at increased risk for externalizing psychopathology. Maternal and paternal AUD differentially affected sons’ vs. daughters’ risks for AUD, drug abuse, and criminal behavior. The transmission of psychopathology within the externalizing spectrum appears to have sex-specific elements.

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author
; ; ; and
organization
publishing date
type
Contribution to journal
publication status
published
subject
keywords
Children of alcoholics, Externalizing disorders, Parental alcohol use disorder, Sex differences
in
Social Psychiatry and Psychiatric Epidemiology
volume
53
issue
12
pages
1381 - 1389
publisher
Steinkopff
external identifiers
  • scopus:85049971236
  • pmid:30019183
ISSN
0933-7954
DOI
10.1007/s00127-018-1563-5
language
English
LU publication?
yes
id
5be10b93-6ba7-4cc8-a861-ac13445f903f
date added to LUP
2018-07-31 15:21:58
date last changed
2024-04-15 09:53:44
@article{5be10b93-6ba7-4cc8-a861-ac13445f903f,
  abstract     = {{<p>Purpose: The substantial literature showing that offspring of parents with alcohol use disorder (AUD) is at increased risk for externalizing psychopathology rarely examines the differential effects of parental and offspring sex. This literature also has other important limitations, such as modest sample sizes and use of unrepresentative samples. Using a large, nationwide Swedish sample, we aim to investigate the roles of parental and offspring sex in externalizing psychopathology among offspring with parental AUD. Methods: AUD diagnosis and externalizing measures were obtained from national registries. Associations between outcomes and parental AUD were examined using logistic regressions. Parental and offspring sex effects were examined with interaction terms. Results: Risks for externalizing disorders were increased in sons and daughters with parental AUD, with significant differences between sons and daughters for criminal behavior; maternal AUD had a greater impact than paternal AUD (regardless of offspring sex), but having two parents with AUD increased risk for all outcomes substantially more than having one parent; and maternal AUD increased risk of drug abuse for daughters more than sons, while paternal AUD increased risk of AUD and criminal behavior for sons more than daughters. Conclusions: Offspring of parents with AUD are at increased risk for externalizing psychopathology. Maternal and paternal AUD differentially affected sons’ vs. daughters’ risks for AUD, drug abuse, and criminal behavior. The transmission of psychopathology within the externalizing spectrum appears to have sex-specific elements.</p>}},
  author       = {{Long, E. C. and Lönn, S. L. and Sundquist, J. and Sundquist, K. and Kendler, K. S.}},
  issn         = {{0933-7954}},
  keywords     = {{Children of alcoholics; Externalizing disorders; Parental alcohol use disorder; Sex differences}},
  language     = {{eng}},
  number       = {{12}},
  pages        = {{1381--1389}},
  publisher    = {{Steinkopff}},
  series       = {{Social Psychiatry and Psychiatric Epidemiology}},
  title        = {{The role of parent and offspring sex on risk for externalizing psychopathology in offspring with parental alcohol use disorder : a national Swedish study}},
  url          = {{http://dx.doi.org/10.1007/s00127-018-1563-5}},
  doi          = {{10.1007/s00127-018-1563-5}},
  volume       = {{53}},
  year         = {{2018}},
}