Paternal Alcohol Use Research Articles

Gestational exposure to particulate air pollution exacerbates the growth phenotypes induced by preconception paternal alcohol use: a multiplex model of exposure.

It is now clear that parental histories of drug use, toxicant exposure, and social stress all have a significant influence on the health and development of the next generation. However, the ability of epigenetic parental life memories to interact with subsequent gestational exposures and cumulatively modify the developmental trajectory of the offspring remains an unexplored perspective in toxicology. Studies from our laboratory have identified male-specific postnatal growth restriction in a mouse model of chronic, preconception paternal alcohol exposure. The goal of the current study was to determine if paternal alcohol use, before conception, could modify the susceptibility of the offspring to a completely separate exposure encountered by the mother during pregnancy. In independent experiments, we previously identified altered developmental programming and increased markers of severe asthma induced by gestational exposure to particulate air pollution. In this study, male mice were exposed to either the control or alcohol preconception treatments, then mated to naive females, which we subsequently exposed to an ultrafine mixture of particulate matter via inhalation. Individually, neither preconception paternal drinking nor gestational exposures to particulate air pollution impacted the postnatal growth of female offspring. However, when both exposures were combined, females displayed a 30% reduction in weight gain. Unexpectedly, this exposure paradigm resulted in a dramatic postnatal increase in litter loss due to maternal cannibalism, which prevented additional measures of offspring health. These preliminary studies provide evidence of a complex interplay between preconception life history and intrauterine environmental factors in the control of postnatal growth.

Programmed increases in LXRα induced by paternal alcohol use enhance offspring metabolic adaptation to high-fat diet induced obesity

ObjectivesPaternally inherited alterations in epigenetic programming are emerging as relevant factors in numerous disease states, including the growth and metabolic defects observed in fetal alcohol spectrum disorders. In rodents, chronic paternal alcohol use induces fetal growth restriction, as well as sex-specific alterations in insulin signaling and lipid homeostasis in the offspring. Based on previous studies, we hypothesized that the observed metabolic irregularities are the consequence of paternally inherited alterations liver x receptor (LXR) activity. MethodsMale offspring of alcohol-exposed sires were challenged with a high-fat diet and the molecular pathways controlling glucose and lipid homeostasis assayed for LXR-induced alterations. ResultsSimilar to findings in studies employing LXR agonists we found that the male offspring of alcohol-exposed sires display resistance to diet-induced obesity and improved glucose homeostasis when challenged with a high-fat diet. This improved metabolic adaptation is mediated by LXRα trans-repression of inflammatory cytokines, releasing IKKβ inhibition of the insulin signaling pathway. Interestingly, paternally programmed increases in LXRα expression are liver-specific and do not manifest in the pancreas or visceral fat. ConclusionsThese studies identify LXRα as a key mediator of the long-term metabolic alterations induced by preconception paternal alcohol use.

Prenatal alcohol exposure and infant gross motor development: a prospective cohort study

BackgroundMaternal alcohol consumption in pregnancy may have adverse effects on child gross motor (GM) development. There have been few human studies on this topic, particularly ones examining low exposure. This study examined the association between prenatal alcohol exposure (PAE) and infant GM development at 12-months of age.MethodsParticipants were 1324 women recruited from antenatal clinics in Sydney and Perth, Australia. Maternal and paternal alcohol use was assessed in pregnancy via interview; offspring GM development was measured at 12-months with the Bayley Scales of Infant Development (BSID-III).ResultsAny alcohol use in pregnancy was common: 56.1%, of pregnant women drank early in Trimester one (0–6 weeks), however this reduced to 27.9% on average thereafter and at predominantly low levels. However, infant BSID GM scale scores were not found to differ significantly as a function of PAE in the first 6-weeks (low, moderate, binge or heavy PAE), nor with low PAE across pregnancy.ConclusionsWe found no evidence to suggest that low PAE is associated with measurable impairment in infant GM development at 12-months. Further research is needed to examine potential PAE impacts on GM development in heavier exposure groups and through the childhood years when subtle GM deficits may be more detectable.

Alterations in sperm-inherited noncoding RNAs associate with late-term fetal growth restriction induced by preconception paternal alcohol use

Using a mouse model, our group recently described an association between chronic paternal alcohol use prior to conception and deficits in offspring growth. Here, we sought to determine the impact of alcohol exposure on male reproductive physiology and the association of sperm-inherited noncoding RNAs with the transmission of the observed growth defects. Alcohol exposure did not appreciably alter male reproductive physiology or fertility. However, chronic alcohol use reproducibly induced late-term fetal growth restriction in the offspring, which correlated with a shift in the proportional ratio of transfer RNA-derived small RNAs to Piwi-interacting RNAs, as well as altered enrichment of microRNAs miR21, miR30, and miR142 in alcohol-exposed sperm. Although our dataset share similarities to prior works examining the impact of paternal stress on offspring phenotype, we were unable to identify any changes in plasma corticosterone, indicating alcohol may alter sperm-inherited noncoding RNAs through distinct mechanisms.

The Relationship Between Paternal Characteristics and Child Psychosocial Functioning in a Sample of Men Arrested for Domestic Violence

It is estimated that upward of 15.5 million children live in homes where they are exposed to physical and psychological intimate partner violence (IPV). Research indicates that IPV can have deleterious effects on children, including a variety of psychosocial problems, although there is much variability in outcomes of children exposed to IPV. Individual characteristics of the parents involved in IPV may be an important predictor of negative psychosocial outcomes for children. The current study expanded upon prior research and examined the simultaneous associations of paternal characteristics, including paternal IPV perpetration, and child psychosocial functioning (i.e., externalizing, internalizing, and attentional problems) among 153 men arrested for domestic violence and court ordered to attend batterer intervention programs. Analyses examined the relations between paternal alcohol and drug use, antisocial personality traits, hostility, posttraumatic stress symptoms, distress tolerance, IPV perpetration, and men's ratings of their child's psychosocial functioning. Results indicated that poor overall child psychosocial functioning was positively related to paternal antisocial personality symptoms and hostility. Subscale analyses revealed that child attentional problems were positively related to paternal hostility. Child externalizing problems were positively associated with paternal antisocial personality symptoms. The implications of these findings for future research and intervention are discussed.

Preconception paternal alcohol exposure exerts sex-specific effects on offspring growth and long-term metabolic programming

BackgroundAlthough clinical data support an association between paternal alcohol use and deficits in child neurocognitive development, the relationship between paternal drinking and alcohol-induced growth phenotypes remains challenging to define. Using an established mouse model of chronic exposure, previous work by our group has linked preconception paternal alcohol use to sex-specific patterns of fetal growth restriction and placental dysfunction. The aim of the present study was to investigate the long-term impact of chronic preconception paternal alcohol use on offspring growth and metabolic programming.ResultsPreconception paternal alcohol exposure induced a prolonged period of fetal gestation and an increased incidence of intrauterine growth restriction, which affected the male offspring to a greater extent than the females. While the female offspring of ethanol-exposed males were able to match the body weights of the controls within the first 2 weeks of postnatal life, male offspring continued to display an 11% reduction in weight at 5 weeks of age and a 6% reduction at 8 weeks of age. The observed growth deficits associated with insulin hypersensitivity in the male offspring, while in contrast, females displayed a modest lag in their glucose tolerance test. These metabolic defects were associated with an up-regulation of genes within the pro-fibrotic TGF-β signaling pathway and increased levels of cellular hydroxyproline within the livers of the male offspring. We observed suppressed cytokine profiles within the liver and pancreas of both the male and female offspring, which correlated with the up-regulation of genes in the LiverX/RetinoidX/FarnesoidX receptor pathways. However, patterns of gene expression were highly variable between the offspring of alcohol-exposed sires. In the adult offspring of alcohol-exposed males, we did not observe any differences in the allelic expression of Igf2 or any other imprinted genes.ConclusionsThe impact of paternal alcohol use on child development is poorly explored and represents a significant gap in our understanding of the teratogenic effects of ethanol. Our studies implicate paternal exposure history as an additional and important modifier of alcohol-induced growth phenotypes and challenge the current maternal-centric exposure paradigm.

Reduced alcohol-seeking in male offspring of sires exposed to alcohol self-administration followed by punishment-imposed abstinence.

Emerging evidence has demonstrated that paternal alcohol use can modify the behavior of offspring, particularly male offspring. However, preclinical studies to date have not used voluntary self‐administration of alcohol to examine alcohol‐related behaviors in offspring. Here, we tested the hypothesis that paternal alcohol self‐administration followed by punishment‐imposed abstinence alters alcohol consumption and seeking in male offspring. Male inbred alcohol preferring iP rats were trained to self‐administer alcohol in one context followed by punishment‐imposed suppression of alcohol‐seeking in a different context using contingent footshock. Following this, all rats were bred with alcohol naïve female iP rats. F1 offspring were then trained to self‐administer alcohol in an identical operant paradigm as sires. Alcohol intake and self‐administration behaviors of alcohol‐sired offspring were compared to control‐sired offspring whose fathers had not been exposed to the alcohol operant conditioning experience. We found that paternal alcohol self‐administration reduced context‐induced relapse to alcohol‐seeking in male offspring. These findings indicate that voluntary paternal alcohol experience, operant conditioning, and punishment can result in intergenerational changes in offspring behavior, and that this effect may protect against the vulnerability to relapse after alcohol use. We also noted reduced alcohol responding in the punishment‐associated context in alcohol‐sired offspring, suggesting altered perception of punishment sensitivity or the anxiogenic response to footshock. Collectively, these findings provide evidence that paternal alcohol abuse can impact alcohol‐related behaviors in male offspring.

Alcohol Text Messages: A Developmental Study

Risky paternal alcohol use is associated with maternal alcohol use during pregnancy, poor fetal and infant outcomes, domestic violence and depression. This study developed 30 SMS text messages about alcohol for fathers who drink at risky levels. The text messages were developed using two motivational styles: messages presented in a second person voice and the same messages presented in a child’s voice. Fifty-one fathers were recruited through social media to complete an online survey rating the SMS text messages for message importance and likelihood of seeking further information and measuring risky alcohol use and psychosocial distress. Seventeen participants then participated in a semi-structured qualitative interview. Fathers rated the text messages presented in the child’s voice as more important than messages presented in the second person. Qualitative data supported survey results that motivational SMS text messages could provide an acceptable way to raise awareness of risky alcohol consumption for future fathers.

Profiles of Contextual Risk at Birth and Adolescent Substance Use.

This study examined whether there are subgroups of families with distinct profiles of prenatal/birth contextual risk, and whether subgroup membership was differentially related to adolescent substance use. Data from the Northern Finland Birth Cohort 1986 were used. A five-class model provided the most meaningful solution. Large Family Size (7.72%) and Low Risk (69.69%) groups had the lowest levels of alcohol, cigarette, and illegal drug use. Similar high levels for each of the three substance-related outcomes were found for Parent Substance Misuse (11.20%), Maternal School Dropout (4.66%), and Socioeconomic Disadvantage (6.72%) groups. Maternal smoking and drinking while pregnant and paternal heavy alcohol use were found to be key prenatal risk factors that tended to cluster together and co-occur with other prenatal risk factors differently for different subgroups of youth.

An Update on Fetal Alcohol Syndrome-Pathogenesis, Risks, and Treatment.

Alcohol is a well-established teratogen that can cause variable physical and behavioral effects on the fetus. The most severe condition in this spectrum of diseases is known as fetal alcohol syndrome (FAS). The differences in maternal and fetal enzymes, in terms of abundance and efficiency, in addition to reduced elimination, allow for alcohol to have a prolonged effect on the fetus. This can act as a teratogen through numerous methods including reactive oxygen species (generated as by products of CYP2E1), decreased endogenous antioxidant levels, mitochondrial damage, lipid peroxidation, disrupted neuronal cell-cell adhesion, placental vasoconstriction, and inhibition of cofactors required for fetal growth and development. More recently, alcohol has also been shown to have epigenetic effects. Increased fetal exposure to alcohol and sustained alcohol intake during any trimester of pregnancy is associated with an increased risk of FAS. Other risk factors include genetic influences, maternal characteristics, for example, lower socioeconomic statuses and smoking, and paternal chronic alcohol use. The treatment options for FAS have recently started to be explored although none are currently approved clinically. These include prenatal antioxidant administration food supplements, folic acid, choline, neuroactive peptides, and neurotrophic growth factors. Tackling the wider impacts of FAS, such as comorbidities, and the family system have been shown to improve the quality of life of FAS patients. This review aimed to focus on the pathogenesis, especially mechanisms of alcohol teratogenicity, and risks of developing FAS. Recent developments in potential management strategies, including prenatal interventions, are discussed.

Effect of paternal alcohol use on mother, child and adolescent health

Background: Children and spouses of alcohol-dependent parents are at higher risk of developing substance abuse, emotional, behavioral, and mental health disorders at all stages of development leading into adulthood. Studies on the impact of alcohol use in children and spouse have been poorly studied. Aims: The aim of this study is to study the general health of the wife, children and adolescents of a family with paternal alcohol use and to assess the personal, family, social, occupational and educational environment of families with paternal alcohol use. Subjects and Methods: Cross-sectional analytical study in the inpatient unit of the Department of Psychiatry, Indira Gandhi Medical College and Research Institute. Participants were selected using inclusion and exclusion criteria and informed consent was obtained for all participants. International Classification of Diseases (ICD-10) diagnosis was used to diagnose alcohol dependence in the father. Sociodemographic proforma, General Health Questionnaire (GHQ), World Health Organization Quality of Life-Bref (WHOQOL-BREF) version were used to collect clinical data of the children and spouse. SPSS version 13 was used to analyze descriptive statistics and mean scores on the GHQ and WHOQOL-BREF scale. Results: Mean GHQ scores were highest in spouses (32.92), children between 12–15 years (20.34) and 16–20 years (25.01) years age group. QOL scores were low among spouses and children across all age groups. Conclusions: Physical, psychological health, well-being and QOL are significantly impacted in families where the father is alcohol dependent. Spouses were more severely affected than children.

Abstract P3-07-35: Findings from the first prospective womb to breast cancer study: New gestational biomarkers support proof of concept that gestation is a window of susceptibility for the breast

Abstract Rationale. Here we provide the first prospective evidence for proof of concept that gestation is an important window of susceptibility for breast cancer. These findings could open the field to interdisciplinary investigation of mechanisms, and interventions via clinical and experimental science. Objective. We tested the hypothesis that biomarkers in gestation predict early-onset breast cancer. Data were prospectively collected including maternal and paternal peri-conceptual body mass, tobacco and alcohol use, maternal pregnancy weight gain, pregnancy complications and outcomes, placental morphology assessed by a standardized examination at birth, and environmental chemicals recently assayed in archived maternal perinatal serum samples. This investigation was based on the observation of 20,000 pregnancies beginning in 1959, with surveillance for both maternal (F0) and offspring (F1) cancer in the Child Health and Development Studies pregnancy cohort. This report is based on the first 133 breast cancer cases in F1 that occurred from 1992-2012, diagnosed at ages 32 to 52. Results. We observed gestational biomarkers of breast cancer risk which were independent of maternal history of breast cancer and race. Highlights of significant findings include independent, higher risk for women who: were born to mothers who lost weight during pregnancy (3-fold increase in risk, p<0.03), were growth retarded in utero (3-fold increased risk, p<0.01), were born with thick (p<0.01), but small diameter placentas (p<0.04), whose mothers had higher perinatal serum levels of environmental chemicals including o,p'-DDT (2.5-fold increase in risk for upper quartile, p<0.03), perfluorooctanesulfonic acid (PFOS) precursors (p<0.03) and total cholesterol (p<0.04). Maternal floor infarction of the placenta was a protective factor both for mothers and their daughters. In ancillary studies we observed that F1 breast density at mid-life is also impacted by placental morphology during F1 gestation. Conclusions. Here we provide a high level of evidence for the existence of gestational biomarkers for breast cancer. Prospective design and direct clinical observation of pregnancies eliminates reporting and misclassification bias. Findings extend the discussion of gestational biomarkers beyond birthweight and pre-eclampsia which have been previously reported. The importance of the gestation window for breast cancer in humans is in line with toxicological evidence in animal models and strongly suggests the existence of opportunities for primary prevention beginning before birth. Citation Format: Barbara Cohn, Nickilou Krigbaum, Lauren Zimmermann, Piera Cirillo. Findings from the first prospective womb to breast cancer study: New gestational biomarkers support proof of concept that gestation is a window of susceptibility for the breast [abstract]. In: Proceedings of the Thirty-Seventh Annual CTRC-AACR San Antonio Breast Cancer Symposium: 2014 Dec 9-13; San Antonio, TX. Philadelphia (PA): AACR; Cancer Res 2015;75(9 Suppl):Abstract nr P3-07-35.

Alcohol expectancies in young children and how this relates to parental alcohol use

According to the cognitive model of intergenerational transference, modeling of alcohol use is an indirect process in which parental drinking shapes alcohol expectancies of children, which in turn are associated with later alcohol use in adolescents. The present study examined whether parental alcohol use was related to alcohol expectancies and experimentation with alcohol use in young children. A community sample of 240 children aged 8.02 (SD=1.13) participated. Alcohol expectancies were assessed by means of the Berkeley Puppet Interview. Children reported consistently and reliably on the positive and negative consequences of alcohol use among adults. Their positive and negative expectancies were equally strong. Compared to younger children, older children had more negative and less positive expectancies. For girls, more paternal alcohol use was associated with less negative alcohol expectancies. For older children, more alcohol use of the mother was related to less positive expectancies, while more alcohol use of the father was related to more positive expectancies. The present study showed that young children already have clear ideas about the positive and negative consequences alcohol can have among adults, which can be captured with the Berkeley Puppet Interview. These expectancies are partly associated with alcohol use of their parents.

Placental telomere length decreases with gestational age and is influenced by parity: A study of third trimester live-born twins

BackgroundIn contrast to the postnatal period, little is known about telomere length (TL) during prenatal life. The decrease in placental TL remains unknown, although intra uterine growth retardation and preeclampsia are associated with shorter placental TL. The aim of this study is to assess the decrease of placental TL during the third trimester of gestation and to explore the role of potential “growth influencing factors”. MethodsThe study sample consisted of 329 live-born twins from the East Flanders Prospective Twin Survey. TL was determined using a multiplex quantitative PCR method. Gestational age, sex, birth order, placental characteristics, parity, maternal and paternal age, diabetes, hypertension, smoking, alcohol use, and socio economic status (SES) were considered “growth influencing factors”. Bivariable multilevel regression analysis with “growth influencing factors” was performed. ResultsPlacental TL ranged from 4.3 kbp to 84.4 kbp with a median of 10.8 kbp. Ln(TL) decreased in a linear fashion with an estimated TL decreasing from 13.98 kbp at 28 weeks to 10.56 kbp at 42 weeks. The regression coefficient of gestational age became smaller if considered together with SES (b = −0.017; p = 0.08) or diabetes (b = −0.018; p = 0.07) and bigger if considered together with parity (b = −0.022; p = 0.02), indicating that part of the association between gestational age and telomere length is explained by these three confounding factors. ConclusionPlacental TL decreases during the third trimester of gestation of live-born twins with approximately 25% indicating that telomere shortening may play a role in aging of the placenta.

Family History of Alcohol and Drug Abuse, Childhood Trauma, and Age of First Drug Injection

Background: Childhood maltreatment may lead to development of future substance use; however the contributions of a family history of substance use is unclear. Objectives: To better understand the relationship between childhood abuse, family history of alcohol and drug abuse, and injecting drug use initiation in a cohort of chronic opioid users. Methods: A cross-sectional survey of long-term and difficult to treat intravenous opiate users of the North American Opiate Medication Initiative (NAOMI) cohort was conducted in two Canadian cities (Vancouver and Montreal). For the analysis, we selected a subsample (n = 87) of the population reported experiencing childhood abuse and completed a 12-month follow up. The sample was 41.4% female and 14.9% First Nations, with a mean age of 38 years. This sample then completed the Childhood Trauma Questionnaire (CTQ) and the Addiction Severity Index (ASI) beside others. Results: Maternal alcohol and drug use was significantly associated with childhood sexual abuse, emotional abuse, and physical neglect. Paternal alcohol and drug use was significantly associated with childhood physical abuse. Increased severity of all types of childhood trauma was related to an earlier age of first injection. Conclusions/Importance: Family history of drug and alcohol use is strongly associated with childhood trauma, which may, in turn, lead to an earlier initiation to the dangerous routes of drug injection.

Paternal and Household Characteristics Associated With Child Neglect and Child Protective Services Involvement

ABSTRACT This study examined the association of paternal and household characteristics with household-level measures of child neglect and Child Protective Services (CPS) involvement, measured when the index child was 5 years of age. Secondary analyses of the Fragile Families and Child Well-Being Study were conducted using a subsample of 1,089 residential, biological fathers. Logistic regression models indicated that paternal depression was associated with greater than doubled odds of child neglect and CPS involvement. Paternal alcohol use and parenting stress were associated with approximately 50% increased odds for child neglect, and a scale measuring 13 caregiving tasks to reflect positive father involvement with the child was also associated with less risk for child neglect. However, paternal alcohol use, parenting stress, and positive involvement with the child were not associated with CPS involvement. An implication of this study is that paternal psychosocial functioning is important to consider in conjunction with sociodemographic factors when examining maltreatment risk in two-parent families.

Sudden Infant Death Syndrome: Review for the Obstetric Care Provider

Sudden infant death syndrome (SIDS) is the leading cause of death among infants aged 1 to 12 months. In this article, we review risk factors that may predispose infants to increased vulnerability. Maternal characteristics, including nonmodifiable and modifiable factors, antenatal medical conditions, labor and delivery events, and infant characteristics, are reviewed, with the purpose of helping obstetric care providers target risk reduction efforts. We have reviewed over 85 case-control, retrospective, and prospective cohort studies published between 1975 and 2011. Major modifiable risk factors include maternal and paternal smoking, drug use, alcohol use, and insufficient prenatal care. Infants at increased risk include males, premature infants, infants of low birth weight or growth-restricted infants, and infants in multiple gestations. By targeting modifiable and nonmodifiable risk factors, it may be possible to decrease the incidence of SIDS. Efforts should be put on decreasing high-risk behaviors and encouraging sufficient antenatal follow-up. In view of recent increases in ethnic and social disparity with SIDS, it is essential that risk reduction guidelines, which have recently been expanded by the American Association of Pediatrics, be explained in a culturally sensitive manner.

Parental alcohol use and adolescent school adjustment in the general population: Results from the HUNT study

BackgroundThis study investigates the relationship between parental drinking and school adjustment in a total population sample of adolescents, with independent reports from mothers, fathers, and adolescents. As a group, children of alcohol abusers have previously been found to exhibit lowered academic achievement. However, few studies address which parts of school adjustment that may be impaired. Both a genetic approach and social strains predict elevated problem scores in these children. Previous research has had limitations such as only recruiting cases from clinics, relying on single responders for all measures, or incomplete control for comorbid psychopathology. The specific effects of maternal and paternal alcohol use are also understudied.MethodsIn a Norwegian county, 88% of the population aged 13-19 years participated in a health survey (N = 8984). Among other variables, adolescents reported on four dimensions of school adjustment, while mothers and fathers reported their own drinking behaviour. Mental distress and other control variables were adjusted for. Multivariate analysis including generalized estimation equations was applied to investigate associations.ResultsCompared to children of light drinkers, children of alcohol abusers had moderately elevated attention and conduct problem scores. Maternal alcohol abuse was particularly predictive of such problems. Children of abstainers did significantly better than children of light drinkers. Controlling for adolescent mental distress reduced the association between maternal abuse and attention problems. The associations between parental reported drinking and school adjustment were further reduced when controlling for the children's report of seeing their parents drunk, which itself predicted school adjustment. Controlling for parental mental distress did not reduce the associations.ConclusionsParental alcohol abuse is an independent risk factor for attention and conduct problems at school. Some of the risk associated with mothers' drinking is likely to be mediated by adolescent mental distress. Despite lowered adjustment on the externalizing dimensions, children of alcohol abusers report that they enjoy being at school as much as other children.

In the Eye of the Beholder: Alcohol Use and Perceptions Among Student-Patrons of ‘Joints’ in Three Nigerian University Communities

Alcohol use and its associated problems among university students have attracted empirical investigation by researchers and scholars. While many of these studies have reported a very high level of alcohol consumption and highlighted the various problems this portends, alcohol-related perceptions of this vulnerable population, which could be germane to intervention aimed at curtailing the problem, have remained largely under-researched. This cross-sectional survey examined the use and perceptions of alcohol by student-patrons (n = 1,705) of beer parlours or ‘joints’ in three university communities in Southwest Nigeria. Respondents were interviewed using AUDIT, a socio-demographic prototype and an open-ended section on alcohol-related perceptions of the students. Findings indicated that overall, 72% of the respondents perceived that alcohol is good for socializing, 68% perceived that alcohol is good in the aspect of stress reduction, 58% believed that alcohol consumption is indicative of maturity, 36% perceived that alcohol enhances their sexual performance while 39% perceived that alcohol serves to enhance alertness/concentration. Results also showed that gender (β = −. 23; p < .05), paternal alcohol use (β = .36; p < .01), parental socio-economic status (β = .33; p < .01), and residential status of university of respondents (β = .21; p < .05) significantly predicted alcohol use. The study concluded that perceptions about alcohol are very germane to understanding students’ alcohol use and should be reckoned with in designing intervention programmes. The need to adopt a ‘client-centered’ approach to the problem of student drinking behaviour was emphasized.

Parental drug use, early adversities, later childhood problems and children's use of tobacco and alcohol at age 10: birth cohort study

To estimate the prevalence of alcohol and tobacco use among children at age 10 years and to investigate possible influences on this. Birth cohort study. England. A total of 6895 children provided data at age 10. Parental tobacco, alcohol and cannabis use, parental social position, children's intelligence, behavioural and emotional problems, children's tobacco and alcohol use at age 10. A total of 1.3% of children reported smoking and 1.8% reported drinking alcohol, with boys reporting higher use than girls. Parental social disadvantage was the strongest predictor of children's smoking and also predicted children's alcohol use. Some of this association appeared to be mediated through the greater experience of childhood behavioural and cognitive problems among the disadvantaged. Parental smoking and paternal alcohol use had little independent influence on offspring drug use. Postnatal, rather than prenatal, maternal alcohol use predicted children's alcohol use. Strategies to prevent early initiation of tobacco and alcohol use should focus upon the reduction of childhood social disadvantage and the behavioural and cognitive problems associated with this.