This study aims to identify (1) a core disruptive behavior disorder (DBD) postulated to presage a substance use disorder, and (2) the relative importance of parental DBD phenotypes, and familial and nonfamilial environmental factors in the determination of DBD in male children. DBD symptom counts and measures of familial and nonfamilial environmentals were collected from intact families ascertained through the presence (SA+) or absence (SA−) of substance dependence in fathers. Multivariate analyses revealed that both behavioral symptoms and environmental measures were significant discriminators of the families. In SA+ families, the child's score DBD was best predicted by magnitudes of parental dyssocial behaviors and by familial environmental factors. However, in SA− families only familial environmental factors were significant predictors of the child's DBD. These findings suggest that in addition to independent actions of familial transmissible and nonfamilial factors, strong genotype-environment interactions may determine DBD in children and that may contribute to the liability for a substance use disorder.

Abbreviations: ADD: attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder; ASPD: antisocial personality disorder; CD: conduct disorder; DBD: disruptive behavior disorder; K-SADS-E; author to supply; NCI: Neighborhood Cohesion Index; ODD; oppositional defiant disorder; PSUD: psychoactive substance dependence disorder; SA: substance dependence (+=present, −=absent); SCID: Structured Clinical Interview for DSM-III-R; SUD; substance use disorders.