How parents' recovery from alcohol problems affects their children
The role of remission in the intergenerational transmission of alcohol use disorder: Course, context, and offspring outcomes
This project looks at whether parents getting better from alcohol problems changes risks and outcomes for their children.
Quick facts
| Grant type | R01 grant |
|---|---|
| Study type | NIH-funded research |
| Funding institution | Washington University NIH-funded |
| Lab location | 1 site (Saint Louis, United States) |
| Project ID | NIH-11092759 on NIH RePORTER |
What this research studies
If my family is included, researchers use long-term family information collected by the Collaborative Study on the Genetics of Alcoholism to follow parents' drinking and periods of remission over time. They will look at different remission patterns (abstinent, non‑abstinent, relapsing) and track how timing of recovery relates to children's health, behavior, and social outcomes. The team applies statistical methods that follow people across years and compares outcomes across family members while considering genetic and environmental factors. Because this work analyzes existing COGA family data gathered since 1989, participation typically involves families already enrolled in that research network.
Who could benefit from this research
Good fit: Ideal candidates are families where a parent has had alcohol use disorder and who have children or adult offspring, especially families already enrolled in the COGA study.
Not a fit: People without a history of alcohol problems, families not part of the COGA dataset, or those seeking an immediate treatment will likely not be directly affected by this analysis.
Why it matters
Potential benefit: If the findings hold, this could show that parental recovery reduces children's risk and help target supports that promote lasting recovery and better child outcomes.
How similar studies have performed: Previous research shows parents' alcohol problems raise children's risk and that many people remit from AUD, but few studies have directly linked parental remission patterns to offspring outcomes, so this approach is relatively novel.
Where this research is happening
Saint Louis, United States
- Washington University — Saint Louis, United States (Active)
Researchers
- Principal investigator: Agrawal, Arpana — Washington University
- Study coordinator: Agrawal, Arpana
About this research
- This is an active NIH-funded research project — typically early-stage science, not a clinical trial accepting patient enrollment.
- Some NIH-funded labs run parallel clinical studies or seek volunteers for related work. To check, contact the principal investigator or institution listed above.
- For full project details, budget, and progress reports, visit the official NIH RePORTER page below.