HALT Recovery Central's Addiction Blog

Alcohol dependence or abuse—and even moderate alcohol use—among fathers living with adolescents (i.e., youths aged 12 to 17) may increase the risk of substance use among those children. Increasing public awareness of the association between paternal alcohol use and adolescent substance use may help to focus attention on providing treatment for affected fathers and support for their children to prevent or reduce adolescent substance use. The National Survey on Drug Use and Health (NSDUH) gathers information that can help to provide a better understanding of the relationship between paternal alcohol use and adolescent substance use.

The NSDUH sample includes a subsample of parents and children who live in the same household. The survey annually collects data on the use of alcohol and illicit drugs,1 including questions about symptoms of dependence or abuse. Dependence or abuse is defined using criteria specified in the Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders (DSM-IV),2 which include symptoms such as withdrawal, tolerance, use in dangerous situations, trouble with the law, and interference in major obligations at work, school, or home during the past year.

This issue of The NSDUH Report examines rates of adolescent substance use and substance use disorders (i.e., dependence on or abuse of alcohol or illicit drugs) by level of alcohol use in the past year among fathers (i.e., no alcohol use, alcohol use but no alcohol use disorder, and alcohol use disorder). It focuses on biological, step-, adoptive, and foster children aged 12 to 17 who were living with their fathers at the time of the survey interview.3 All findings are based on annual averages from combined 2002 to 2007 NSDUH data.