Research has documented the genetic contribution of paternal alcoholism and Antisocial Personality Disorder as risk factors for adolescent deviant behavior, including substance abuse. Teens (n=147) between the ages of 12 and 19 years and their parents participated in the study. The sample consisted of 74 substance abusing teens/families drawn from inpatients at addiction treatment centers in San Diego and 73 nonabusing teens/families drawn from the same community. This study evaluated the relationship between a history of paternal alcoholism and paternal deviant behavior, and offspring deviant behavior among adolescent substance abusers and nonabusers. This relationship was found to differ for substance-abusing and nonabusing adolescents. Among abusers, paternal alcoholism and paternal deviant behavior provided significant independent contributions in predicting teen deviant behavior. Among nonabusing teens, paternal alcoholism significantly predicted teen deviant behavior, but paternal deviant behavior did not add predictive utility. Theoretical and clinical implications are discussed. (Author/AA)