Objective: To evaluate the possible association between maternal smoking during pregnancy (MSDP) and offspring outcomes of birth weight, pre-term birth, remediation, low scholastic achievement, regular smoking, attention deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) and conduct problems (CD) while controlling for similar behaviors in parents. Methods: Using telephone interviews, data were collected, in 2001 and 2004, as a part of two U.S. offspring-of-twins projects. Fathers, who were twins participating in the Vietnam Era Twin Registry, their female spouse and their offspring were interviewed – information on 1342 unique pregnancies in mothers with a history of regular smoking was utilized for these analyses. The association between MSDP and birth weight, pre-term birth, remediation, low scholastic achievement, regular smoking, attention deficit hyperactivity disorder and conduct disorder while controlling for similar behaviors in parents, was examined using regression. Results: MSDP was associated with decreased birth weight, low scholastic achievement, regular smoking and ADHD. However, the association between MSDP and offspring ADHD was explained by maternal ADHD. MSDP was also associated with earlier age of offspring initiation of smoking and onset of regular smoking. Conclusions: MSDP may influence certain offspring outcomes via mechanisms that are independent from genetic risk attributable to comorbid conditions. Assisting expecting mothers with their smoking cessation efforts will likely provide widespread health benefits to both mother and offspring.

Background Although substance use is associated with reduced educational attainment, this association may be due to common risk factors such as socioeconomic disadvantage. We tested whether alcohol, nicotine, and illicit drug use and dependence were associated with lifetime educational attainment after controlling for familial background characteristics. Methods Data were from a 1987 questionnaire and a 1992 telephone diagnostic interview of 6242 male twins (n=3121 pairs; mean age= 41.9 years in 1992) who served in the U.S. military during the Vietnam-era, and therefore were eligible for educational benefits after military service. Reduced educational attainment (less than 16 years) was examined in twin pairs discordant for substance use history. Substance use and dependence risk factors assessed were early alcohol and cannabis use, daily nicotine use, lifetime cannabis use, and alcohol, nicotine, cannabis, and any illicit drug dependence. Results Three significant differences were observed between at risk twins and their cotwins: Compared to their low-risk cotwins, likelihood of completing less than 16 years of education was significantly increased for: (a) twins who used alcohol before age 18 (adjusted OR=1.44; 95%CI:1.02–2.05), (b) twins with a lifetime alcohol dependence diagnosis (adjusted OR=1.76; 95%CI: 1.27–2.44), and (c) twins who had used nicotine daily for 30 or more days (adjusted OR=2.54, 95%CI: 1.55–4.17). However, no differences in education were observed among twin pairs discordant for cannabis initiation, early cannabis use, or cannabis, nicotine, or any illicit drug dependence. Conclusions Even in a veteran population with access to military educational benefits, early alcohol use, alcohol dependence, and daily nicotine use remained significantly associated with years of education after controlling for shared familial contributions to educational attainment. The association between other substances and educational attainment was explained by familial factors common to these substance use phenotypes and adult educational attainment.

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This study assessed the interactions of 131 alcoholic and nonalcoholic couples as they engaged in discussions of personally relevant problems. For 50 couples, the husband was alcoholic; for 15 couples, the wife was alcoholic; for 16 couples, both spouses were alcoholics; and for 50 couples, neither spouse was alcoholic. Observations were conducted during sessions when alcohol was consumed and in nondrinking sessions. Female alcoholic couples (with nonalcoholic spouses) demonstrated high negativity in the "no-drink" session, which was normalized in the drink session, suggesting an adaptive function to alcohol use. Concordant couples (both members were alcoholic) also demonstrated high negativity in the no-drink session, but exhibited increased negativity in the drink session, suggesting that concordance has a maladaptive impact on marital interaction. All alcoholic groups demonstrated greater negativity and lower positivity and congeniality in their marital interactions compared to nonalcoholic couples. Couples with male alcoholics were the least divergent from normal control couples. Unique female patterns in alcoholism are discussed in terms of adaptive and reinforcing patterns and spousal influences.

ABSTRACT. Objective: The Lifetime Drinking History (LDH) has been used to examine alcohol use throughout the life span. Given its retrospective nature, it is important to examine the validity of the assessment. Method: Building on previous work establishing the reliability and validity of the LDH, the current study examined a sample of 1,295 men in the Vietnam Era Twin Registry. The men were assessed retrospectively with the LDH in 2000, at an average age of 51. The drinking patterns of these same men were also assessed prospectively in four prior studies, taking place in 1987, 1990, 1992, and 1995. Results: Validity of the LDH was examined by comparing the correspondence between the prospective and retrospective quantity-frequency measures and reported age at fi rst regular drinking. Correlations between the retrospective and prospective assessments were high for age at fi rst regular drinking (.42-.58) and quantity-frequency measures (.47-.69), although some mean differences in the amount of consumption existed. Conclusions: Results support the use of the LDH in reporting phases of drinking across the life span. (J. Stud. Alcohol Drugs 70: [296][297][298][299][300][301][302][303] 2009)