Family functioning and adolescent alcohol use disorders

Adolescents with alcohol dependence or abuse (n = 126) were compared with 124 adolescents with other (nondrug) mental disorders and with a control group of 94 adolescents with no mental disorders on dimensions of family functioning. General family functioning, mother-adolescent relationships, and parental monitoring and discipline practices were assessed by using both adolescent and mother reports. Although overall the groups differed significantly on all family variables, the relationships among groups differed for adolescent and mother reports. By mother reports, families of adolescents with alcohol use disorders functioned less well than did families of adolescents with other mental disorders, whereas by adolescent reports these groups were not significantly different. Examination of both adolescent and mother perspectives may be important in understanding the relationship between family functioning and adolescent alcohol use disorders.