Are Daughters of Alcoholics More Likely to Marry Alcoholics?

Abstract

This study evaluates the relationship between having an alcoholic (i.e., alcohol-dependent) parent and the presence of a spouse with a similar diagnosis. Data relating to 708 men and 708 women, the parents ofthe questionnaire respondents, revealed that even after controlling for the increased rate of alcohol-dependent spouses among alcoholics, assortative mating appears to be associated with positive family histories of alcoholism. Within this sample, nonalcoholic daughters of alcoholics were more than twice as likely to marry an alcoholic as nonalcoholic daughters of nonalcoholics, irrespective of the alcoholic parent's gender. In contrast, in the same sample daughters of alcoholics did not demonstrate a higher rate for having a spouse with another ofthe more common psychiatric syndromes, a major depressive *To whom correspondence should be addressed at Department of Psychiatry 116A, University of California-San Diego, 3350 La Jolla Village Drive, San Diego, California 92161. 237 238SCHUCKIT, TIPP, AND KELNER episode. In this sample, sons of alcoholics did not demonstrate an increased rate for marrying an alcoholic when compared to sons of nonalcoholics.

Non-Random Mating and Convergence Over Time for Alcohol Consumption, Smoking, and Exercise: The Nord-Trøndelag Health Study

“…Some studies using retrospective questions to identify premarital or adolescent similarity have suggested non-random mating as an explanation (Etcheverry and Agnew 2009;Leonard and Das Eiden 1999;Price and Vandenberg 1980;Yamaguchi and Kandel 1993). Demonstrations of alcohol dependence in both spouses prior to marriage (Low et al 2007;Maes et al 1998) and observations of concordance between spouses and parents-in-law, and of family aggregation (Gleiberman et al 1992;Low et al 2007;Price and Vandenberg 1980;Schuckit et al 1994), have also been interpreted as support for non-random mating.…”

Problem Behavior and Romantic Relationships: Assortative Mating, Behavior Contagion, and Desistance

“…This relationship could also support social homogamy, given that problem behavior covaries with social experiences, including having an alcoholic parent (e.g., Olmsted et al, 2003;Windle, 1997). Some research on ACOAs has suggested a significant relationship between a family history of alcohol dependence and marriage to an alcoholic (e.g., Black et al, 1986;Hall et al, 1983b;Kerr and Hill, 1992;Schuckit et al, 1994). Unfortunately, there have been contradictory findings (e.g., Boye-Beaman et al, 1991;Schuckit et al, 2002) and methodological limitations, including the use of self-identified samples.…”

“…Although several studies have suggested sex differences in assortative mating and behavior contagion (e.g., Galbaud du Fort et al, 1998;Gleiberman et al, 1992;Hall et al, 1983a, b;Haynie et al, 2005;Kim and Capaldi, 2004;McLeod, 1995;Moffitt et al, 2001;Moskalenko et al, 1992;Olmsted et al, 2003;Sakai et al, 2004;Schuckit et al, 1994;Kandel, 1993, 1997), findings have been weakened by methodological limitations (e.g., low power, clinical samples) and have been inconsistent and contradictory across studies. Furthermore, Jacob and Bremer (1986) demonstrated how the failure to account for sex differences in the base rates for substance use and dependence, as well as deficiencies and discrepancies in methodology across studies, lead to erroneous conclusions regarding sex differences in assortative mating.…”

“…Findings were qualified by gender, in that the drinking behavior of husbands' mothers and their wives was significantly related, whereas the relationship between wives' fathers' drinking and their husbands' drinking was only marginally significant and there was no relationship of the drinking behavior of husbands' or wives' same-sex parent with the drinking behavior of their spouses. Schuckit et al (1994) examined the questionnaire responses of 708 male college students, regarding the drinking behavior of their parents and grandparents. Those females (respondents' mothers) who had no alcohol dependence symptoms, but who had an alcoholic parent, had a significantly higher likelihood of selecting a partner with alcoholism.…”

Assortative Mating for Cigarette Smoking and for Alcohol Consumption in Female Australian Twins and their Spouses

“…More specifically, a number of studies have observed spousal similarity for drinking behavior (Rimmer and Winokur 1972;Hall et al 1983a, b;Schuckit et al 1994;Kendler et al 1994;Stallings et al 1997;Maes et al 1998;Grant et al 2003). Using overlapping samples, both Kendler et al (1994) and Maes et al (1998) report a modest correlation (0.12-0.27) between spouses for alcohol dependence.…”