Premium
Predictors of Behavior Problems in Three‐Year‐Old Sons of Alcoholics: Early Evidence for the Onset of Risk
Author(s) -
Fitzgerald Hiram E.,
Sullivan Linda A.,
Ham Hazen P.,
Zucker Robert A.,
Bruckel Stefan,
Schneider Andrew M.,
Noll Robert B.
Publication year - 1993
Publication title -
child development
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 3.103
H-Index - 257
eISSN - 1467-8624
pISSN - 0009-3920
DOI - 10.1111/j.1467-8624.1993.tb02898.x
Subject(s) - psychology , socioeconomic status , developmental psychology , depression (economics) , population , clinical psychology , demography , sociology , economics , macroeconomics
We investigated risk factors in a population‐based sample of alcoholic (father) and comparison families with 3‐year‐old sons. Alcoholic and comparison parents did not differ in socioeconomic status (SES), education, years married, family size, or cognitive functioning. Anti‐social behavior and depression were significantly greater in alcoholic parents. High risk children were more impulsive than comparison children, but there were no differences in developmental age, IQ, or behavior problems. A higher percentage of high‐risk children were rated in the extreme clinical range for behavior problems than were comparison children. For alcoholic families, mothers' ratings of their children's total behavior problems, externalizing behavior problems, and internalizing behavior problems were predicted by mothers' lifetime alcohol problems, current depression, and family SES. Father variables failed to predict children's behavior problems. Maternal variables were stronger predictors of their 3‐year‐old sons' problem behaviors than were paternal variables.