Validity of young adults' reports of parental drinking practices

To assess the accuracy of young adults' reports of their parents' drinking patterns, 49 students, aged 18-35, and their parents were asked to complete questionnaires assessing parental drinking practices (i.e., quantity and frequency of consumption, problems caused by alcohol). The data showed a significant correlation between students' and parents' reports of parental frequency and quantity of drinking and were interpreted as suggesting that subjects' reports of their parents' drinking patterns can be used with some degree of confidence without obtaining the data directly from the parents. The correspondence between reports of parental alcohol-related problems was examined with regard to whether subjects would be correctly classified as having a history of parental alcoholism or no such history. Methods for increasing the rate of correct subject classification are discussed.