Personality characteristics of depressed or alcoholic adult children of alcoholics

G. Winokur (1987, Family (genetic) studies in neurotic depression. Journal of Psychiatric Research, 21, 357–363) suggested that in an alcoholic family, alcohol abuse and depression among adult children of alcoholics (AGOAs) may be two ways of expressing the same propensity. It was hypothesised that Winokurʹs “propensity” could be characterised as a construct of personality variables, specifically low self-esteem, high neuroticism, and high psychoticism. This study examined Winokurʹs hypothesis using 982 male and female participants (18–64 yr of age) of a general population survey in an attempt to identify the commonalities connecting alcoholic and depressed ACOAs. ACOAs were found to have significantly different personality scores than adults from non-alcoholic families (non-ACOAs), and alcoholic ACOAs shared similar scores with depressed ACOAs on all three personality variables. No differences were seen between alcoholic and depressed participants across family history groups. It would appear from these data that ACOAs can be differentiated from non-ACOAs at least by their low self-esteem, high neuroticism, and high psychoticism, and that alcoholism and depression are two ways that ACOAs can manifest these traits.