Healthy young adults with a family history of alcohol dependence: Suicidal ideation, anxiety, and «novelty-seeking»

Objective. To investigate the associations between a family history of alcohol dependence (AD) and the mental health disorders and personal traits of healthy young adults. Material and methods. The study included 95 healthy subjects, with an average age of 20.68±2.45 years, of whom 80.0% were women. The study utilized a self-administered questionnaire that included a comprehensive study map and psychometric scales. Participants were categorized into two groups: individuals without a relevant family history of AD and those with a relevant family history of AD. The latter group was further divided into two subgroups based on the family history: individuals with a moderate family burden of AD (1 relative with AD), designated, and those with a high family burden of AD (2 or more relatives with AD), designated. Comparative analyses were conducted across all study variables. Results. Several significant associations were identified between a family history of AD, particularly with a high burden, and various psychological and somatic indicators. Notably, there was a correlation between a family history of AD and affective symptoms, specifically the presence and severity of anxiety symptoms (p=0.003) as well as the suicidal ideation (p=0.015), but not attempted suicides. Additionally, a relationship was established with personality traits, particularly the propensity for «novelty-seeking» behaviors (p=0.001), and a potential link to eating disorders. Furthermore, a family history of AD was correlated with general somatic health, including associations with familial obesity (p=0.0002) and overall indicators of physical health. Conclusions. Future investigations with larger samples are essential to elucidate further the specific impacts of both the presence and grade of a family history of alcohol dependence, serving as a potential marker for the risk of developing mental health and substance use disorders at a preclinical stage.