Gender differences in the prediction of problem alcohol use in adulthood: Exploring the influence of family factors and childhood maltreatment

Objective: The purpose of this study was to contrast men and women in prospective relationships among family-oriented and alcohol-related variables obtained during adolescence, childhood physical, emotional and sexual abuse collected retrospectively, and later adult problem alcohol use. Method: In structural equation models, early family processes (support/bonding, parent drug-use problems, parental divorce and childhood maltreatment) and prior alcohol use simultaneously predicted adult problem alcohol use at two later time points in a longitudinal community sample of 426 (305 female) adults. Results: Significant relationships were found among family processes, childhood maltreatment and problem alcohol use within time and longitudinally for both men and women. Greater family support/bonding during adolescence predicted less problem alcohol use in adulthood. Men and women who experienced sexual abuse as a child reported more problem alcohol use in adulthood. Problem alcohol use was stable across time. Men reported more problem alcohol use in adolescence and adulthood, and women reported more early sexual abuse. These results contradict those that find no significant relationships between childhood abuse and subsequent alcohol-related problems. Parental drug use problems during the participant's adolescence did not directly predict problem alcohol use in adulthood. The relationship was more indirect in that parental drug use was associated with family-related concomitants that in turn were significant predictors of more problem alcohol use in adulthood. Conclusions: The strong stability for problem alcohol use across the three time periods is a signal that alcohol use in adolescence should not be ignored; furthermore, family dynamics need attention in addressing problem alcohol use.