Alcohol abuse is a complex disorder; there is no simple explanation as to why some people develop problems with alcohol and others do not. Most research indicates that there are many biological and psychosocial factors that mutually influence each other and cause an individual to abuse alcohol. One of the areas scientists have been examining as they explore the many causes of alcohol disorders is the influence of family history. Laypeople as well as experts have long noted that alcoholism runs in families, and a genetic basis for alcoholism has been well established in the scientific community. However, genes alone cannot tell the complete story.

For example, research shows that most children of alcoholics do not develop problems with alcohol. In fact, there is a substantial range in alcohol use—from abstinence to abuse—among children of alcoholics...