Because of their demographics, university counseling centers have an opportunity to reach both adult children of alcoholics and adult children of parents with mental illness who are at risk for poor psychosocial outcomes. This article presents a group intervention targeting these students. The authors describe the development and implementation of…

Rates of return to active substance use after addiction treatment tend to be high; participation in 12-step fellowships (e.g., Alcoholics Anonymous) reduces relapse rates but many clients do not attend or attend for a short period only. This quasi-experimental study uses repeated measurement to explore the role of presence/absence of on-site…

Found participants (N=28) in alcohol treatment groups showed decreases in denial of drinking problems and decreases in psychopathology following 12 weeks of group counseling. Determined greater self-acceptance was associated with experiencing acceptance by group and with greater decreases in denial; decreases in denial and psychopathology were…

The research described here focused on personal, life context, and help-related factors to trace the long-term course of treated and untreated alcohol-use disorders. A group of 461 individuals who sought help for alcohol problems was surveyed at baseline and 1, 3, 8, and 16 years later. Compared with individuals who remained untreated, individuals…

Describes use of the Tavistock model for studying group relations to teach alcoholism counselors group process. Counselors (N=32) participated in weekend study groups. An informal follow-up evaluation consisted of a reaction paper, oral discussions, and a questionnaire. Counselors' evaluations were predominantly positive. (RC)

Presents descriptive data collected during 1988-89 academic year from three adult children of alcoholics groups offered by a university counseling center. Describes group members, structured group activities, and recommendations for therapy groups for young adult children of alcoholics. (Author/NB)

Describes inception and evolution of a 14-month project providing group counseling to offenders placed on probation after conviction for driving while intoxicated (DWI). Describes modifications of group counseling techniques, necessitated by the involuntary nature of members' participation. Presents generalizations concerning social psychological…

Reports on node-link mapping--a method for visually representing ideas, feelings, and actions. Examines counseling session evaluations collected from probationers at a residential substance abuse treatment facility. Results indicate that participants rated sessions featuring more extensive mapping as being deeper and as involving more group…

Discusses survival roles adopted by children growing up in families where alcohol is abused, relating them to birth order, and emphasizing their maladaptivity for later adult interactions. Presents case studies of two common roles of adult children of alcoholics (ACAs), those of hero and scapegoat, and demonstrates how ACAs interact in a mixed,…

Recommends that family therapists be aware of the dynamics of the malfunctioning family which affects the process of alcoholism. Describes a family program which is part of a comprehensive alcoholism treatment program. Individual and group intervention address the family problems set in motion by alcoholism. (Author/JAC)

Combining childhood roles and interpersonal theory produces a schematic model that includes all adult children of alcoholics, enhances understanding of the group dynamic, and suggests specific group treatment strategies. (Author)

Presents ten articles about substance abuse: its effects, consequences, and strategies for intervention. Describes specific group therapy techniques and presents both a court service designed for assisting juveniles with drug/alcohol offenses, and a school-based substance abuse prevention program. Looks at strategies for counseling special…

Examines the effects of a group counseling intervention on the self-concept of children of alcoholics. Fourth- and fifth-grade students were assigned randomly to a counseling intervention support group. Results indicate that group counseling helped children of alcoholics improve their self-concepts and also increased their social skills. (RJM)

Outlines a small group model that provides elementary school counselors with a creative way to help children of alcoholics build resiliency and develop protective strategies. Emphasizes the importance of the school counselor in taking a proactive approach and reaching out to help children develop the skills needed to survive an alcoholic home.…

The Phoenix Union High School District, Phoenix, Arizona, offers students four types of counseling support groups as part of its chemical awareness program. (DCS)