Your risk of having a drinking problem is heavily linked to your spouse’s DNA, not just your own.
March 19, 2026
Original Paper
The Influence of Spousal Genotype on Alcohol Problems in Marriage
PsyArXiv · 64dwu_v1
The Takeaway
This study reveals a 'social genetic effect' where a partner's genetic predisposition for alcohol use disorder acts as a functional part of your environment. Having a high-risk spouse increases your own clinical symptoms during marriage, regardless of your personal genetic vulnerability.
From the abstract
The conventional understanding of how genetic factors impact risk for alcohol use disorder (AUD) typically focuses on how one’s own genetic predispositions influence the likelihood of experiencing clinically significant problems with alcohol (direct genetic effects). Yet, in close relationships like marriage, a spouse’s genotype may function as part of the target individual’s environment through its influence on spousal behaviors and experiences, termed social genetic effect. We examined social