Personality Adjustment in College Students With a Parent Perceived as Alcoholic or Nonalcoholic

Adjustment of 547 college students was examined by the variables of alcoholic parentage and participant gender. Results from a multivariate analysis of variance, using the Diagnostic Inventory of Personality and Symptoms, indicated significant main effects for gender but not for alcoholic parentage. Significant gender differences occurred for alcohol abuse, drug abuse, paranoid psychosis, affective depression, anxiety disorders, psychological factors affecting physical condition, immature character, and neurotic character. Findings suggest that college students from alcoholic homes should not be distinguished from the general population in terms of their adjustment.