Parental alcohol use disorders (AUDs) and parental separation are independent and consistent predictors of increased risk for early alcohol, tobacco, and cannabis use and sexual debut in offspring from families with a high risk of parental AUDs, a recent study found. Researchers evaluated a prospective adolescent and young adult cohort of a high-risk family study, consisting of 3,257 offspring (aged 14-33 years) first assessed in 2004 and sought for interview approximately every 2 years thereafter; 1,945 (59.7%) offspring had a parent with an AUD. They found:

• Parental AUDs were associated with increased hazards for all outcomes, with cumulative hazards ranging from 1.19 to 2.71.
• Parental separation was also an independent and consistent predictor of early substance use and sexual debut, with hazards ranging from 1.19 to 2.34.
• The strength of association of parental separation with substance initiation was equal to that of having 2 AUD-affected parents, and its association with sexual debut was stronger than the association of parental AUD in 1 or both parents.