Assortative mating among adult children of alcoholics and alcoholics

Relations between parental alcoholism, self-alcoholism, and partner-alcoholism were examined in a nonclinical, non-self-identified sample of 128 married and engaged young couples. Couples were recruited to participate in a longitudinal study of close relationships. They were assessed using three alcoholism questionnaires that included reports of parent-, partner-, and self-alcohol use. Participants were predominantly White and well educated. Cross-sectional analyses indicated that alcoholics tend to marry other alcoholics and that male adult children of alcoholics (ACOA) are more likely to be alcoholic than their female counterparts. The relation between parental alcoholism and partner's alcoholism was affected by self-alcoholism in male participants. There was a significant relation between ACOA status and marriage to alcoholics for women that was not affected by their own alcoholism.