Contextualizing family risk factors for alcoholism and alcohol abuse.

Objective: Studies of alcohol and the family should represent the full range of family types in the U.S. population. Developments from studies of family systems in other research contexts may be usefully applied to the alcohol field. Methods: This commentary highlights important methodological and conceptual issues relevant for the design and conduct of family research. Results: Data indicate major changes in the composition of the American family over the past quarter century. Some recent conceptual developments in the field of family research are relevant for studies of alcohol and the family and for intervention development. Conclusions: Family-based alcohol research should acknowledge and address the heterogeneity that exists among modern American families. Studies of family risk and resiliency should distinguish between threats to the family's ability to function as a whole, and threats to the well-being of individual members. Additional research is needed on the role of race and ethnicity in family processes.