Lifetime Psychiatric Comorbidity in Hospitalized Alcoholics: Subject and Familial Correlates

Abstract

We classified 123 alcohol rehabilitation patients by their histories of lifetime psychiatric comorbidity, and examined the demographic, social, occupational, treatment, and familial variables characterizing the groups. Diagnostic assessments were made with the SADS-L/RDC. High lifetime prevalences of major depressive disorder and drug use disorder were found. Aspects of treatment history distinguished between patient groups with and without lifetime major depression, but not other personal or familial variables. Patients with lifetime drug use disorders were younger and experienced an earlier onset of alcohol problems and treatment. Those with numerous childhood antisocial symptoms were younger, more likely to be male and unmarried, and less educated, and they had presented earlier for treatment. Subjects with two or more adult antisocial symptoms which occurred when subjects were not drinking or using drugs had a significant increase in family history of antisocial personality disorder. However, adult antisocial behaviors which were not separated from the effects of alcohol or drug use were unrelated to a family history of antisocial personality disorder. Implications of these findings are discussed.