Children of Alcoholic Parents it Is Generally

Children of Alcoholic Parents

It is generally accepted that alcoholism tends to run in families and that compared with children of non-alcoholics, children of alcoholic parents have approximately four time greater risk of becoming alcoholics themselves (Reich Pp). However, the causal factors that determine the development of alcohol abuse and dependence have not yet been conclusively determined (Reich Pp).

Studies from the 1950's and 1960's generally emphasized psychosocial explanation, such as "poor parenting, lack of good role models. And impoverished home life" (Reich Pp). Beginning in the 1970's, research has investigated heritable components in the familial transmission of alcoholism" (Reich Pp). Adoption studies analyses of half-siblings and studies comparing identical and fraternal twins have all provided evidence that genetic factors play a crucial role in the etiology of alcoholism (Reich Pp). Although there is strong evidence for a genetic contribution, few researchers would deny the influence of environmental factors in the development of alcoholism, such as maternal drinking during pregnancy, temperament and personality traits of the parents and children, "psychopathology in the parents and children. geographic location. family and community environment. religious involvement, academic failure, and association with deviant peers" (Reich Pp). And because some of these factors also have a genetic component, they may indirectly increase the genetic predisposition for alcoholism in some children of alcoholics (Reich Pp).

A1993 study revealed that children of alcoholic parents showed higher rates of oppositional and conduct disorders, but not attention deficit disorder (Shayka Pp). Moreover, children of alcoholic parents did not have significantly higher rates of depression, but may be at risk for anxiety (Shayka Pp). The children in this study also showed increased incidence of alcohol and other substance use but not abuse or dependence (Shayka Pp). The study revealed few differences with respect to self-esteem and achievement tests among the groups and "no differences in the rates of psychopathology between offspring of alcoholic vs. antisocial parents" (Shayka Pp). The study showed "that children of alcoholics exhibit high rates of psychopathology and may be at risk specifically for oppositional and conduct disorders but not for depression" (Shayka Pp). Furthermore, it is believed that "children of alcoholics are at risk not only for becoming alcoholic themselves but also for increased incidence of psychopathology during childhood and adolescence" (Shayka Pp).

Several studies have identified high levels of depression, anxiety, low self-esteem, and low educational goals as common personality characteristics of adolescent problem drinkers and these characteristics are in many aspects determined by the parental alcoholism and the effects of alcoholism on the family (Tomori Pp). "Unassertive parents are unable to enhance assertiveness in their children, nor can they promote their uneventful and trauma-free experiences separation process, one of the main axes of adolescent psychodynamics" (Tomori Pp). Children of alcoholics have feelings of rejection and constant fear of emotional loss throughout their childhood, culminating in adolescence when feelings become even more destructive and intensified by the adolescent's need for independence (Tomori Pp). Moreover, feelings of inferiority impede separation of children from alcoholic families, thus their loneliness provides an ideal breeding ground for the accumulating anxiety, self-rejection, and mistrust of others and the hostility associated with these feelings may assume various forms of aggression, therefore, these children use alcohol to relieve anxiety, reduce dissatisfaction and mistrust and to vent aggression (Tomori Pp). "Many children of alcoholic parents develop defensive aggression or passive resistance, or take recourse to some other inappropriate patterns of defensive behavior" (Tomori Pp). Their negative self-image, "rendered even more somber by the feeling of shame caused by the alcoholism of their parents, only adds to their loneliness and low sense of well-being" because they have no opportunity to learn how to cope with anxiety and depression (Tomori Pp). Encouraged by the "disinhibiting effects of alcohol," these children find it easier to enter the world outside their family borders in search of relief and self-assertion (Tomori Pp).

Recent studies have confirmed that children of alcoholics achieve relatively lower academic outcomes in comparison to non-COA peers (Chassin Pp). Adolescent task orientation partially mediated the relations between parent alcohol dependence and academic achievement, indicating that academic difficulties in children of alcoholics may be partly due to impaired motivation and organization (Chassin Pp). Results of a 1999 study indicated that parent alcoholism had a significant negative effect on English and math grades, thus, children of alcoholics are not only at risk for negative mental health and substance use outcomes, but for negative academic outcomes as well (Chassin Pp). The study's findings suggest that children of alcoholics are more vulnerable to poor task orientation, resulting in greater decrements in academic performance (Chassin Pp). The study indicates that attempts to help these children learn self-monitoring behavioral techniques may reduce negative effects of parent alcohol dependence on the child's school achievement by improving their motivation, effort and productivity at school (Chassin Pp).

Children of alcoholics have been given various labels such as "the forgotten children," "the hidden tragedy," and "a neglected problem" (Nishioka Pp). It has been estimated that one of every four children a school nurse encounters may be the child of an alcoholic (Nishioka Pp). In 1977, approximately twenty percent of all applications to social agencies, child guidance clinics, and public assistance departments resulted from alcoholism with the family, and moreover, alcohol has been linked to roughly sixty percent of known child abuse (Nishioka Pp).