Samandrag
Family members of alcohol abusers are known to be at risk for a range of unfavourable outcomes, for example conduct problems and marital conflict. This thesis investigates school adjustment among adolescent children of alcohol abusers, the prospective association between heavy drinking and divorce, and the representativeness of a general population sample regarding alcohol use. All inhabitants in Nord-Trøndelag aged 20 years or older were invited to take part in the Nord-Trøndelag Health Study (HUNT 1) in 1984-1986 (N=77,230), and in a 1995-1997 (HUNT 2) follow up (N=65,216). The second wave also included adolescents aged 13-19 years (N=8,984). This study has several methodological advantages, such as high generalizability, multiple responders in each family, and a range of covariates available.