Familial transmission of alcohol use, III. Impact of imitation/non-imitation of parent alcohol use (1960) on the sensible/problem drinking of their offspring (1977).

Imitation/non-imitation by adult offspring of alcohol-related parent behavior was examined in the context of the 'fall-off effect' and of sensible/problem alcohol use, two processes which tend to constrain drinking. Evidence indicates there is more imitation by adult offspring of abstemious parents (both abstainer and low volume) than of high volume parents. Adult offspring drink significantly less, on the average, than their high volume parents, a phenomenon here termed 'fall-off effect' for both men and women with respect to either their fathers or mothers. This fall-off among social drinkers appears when the mother approaches or the father consumes at or more than a typical daily drinking level (greater than or equal to 1 drink per day). More sensible drinking occurs among adult offspring when (1) the parent has no drinking problem-signs than when the parent has drinking problems (this pattern appears at all levels of offspring consumption), and (2) when parents drink at high volume and have no problems for those offspring who do not imitate parent volume. Drinking 'sensibly' appears to be associated directly with the level of parent alcohol use and offsprings' own drinking levels (considered as imitation or non-imitation of parents), and indirectly with offspring recall of problematic intake by parents. Drinking sensibly is a medical, education and public health issue.