Family Drug and Alcohol Courts (FDAC) were introduced to England in 2008 following their development in the USA. Pilots launched across the country adopted a family-based strategy with the aim to improve outcomes for children that live with parents who misuse substances or alcohol. The numbers of children entering the care system has increased…

This literary analysis examines the emergence of children of alcoholics narratives and their growth from "resource" texts to literary subgenre. While early texts offer useful information about parental alcoholism, they are also limited. Namely, they do not adequately mirror the diversity of children, families, and problems associated…

Life in the alcoholic family is characterized by inconsistency, unpredictability, distrust, denial, and lack of affection, attention, and interest by the parents. Children who are raised in such an environment experience a loss of self-esteem and suffer long- and short-term negative consequences. The role of the counselor and counseling strategies…

Examines young adults (N=360) in terms of their perceptions of having assumed a parentified role in their family of origin as a function of academic status and classification as children of alcoholics or nonalcoholics. Low academic status participants reported having greater caretaking responsibilities and worries in their families. Children of…

In the current study, the authors tested the hypothesis that children of alcoholic parents (COAs) show deficits in social competence that begin in early childhood and escalate through middle adolescence. Teachers, parents, and children reported on the social competence of COAs and matched controls in a community sample assessed from ages 6 to 15.…

Although clinicians have recently come to view children of alcoholics as primary patients who deserve treatment in their own right, such youngsters have little access to appropriate services. Experts estimate that less than five percent of children of alcoholic parents receive the help they need. Recent research indicates that the younger the…

Examines differences between 4th-6th grade children of alcoholics (COAs) and non-COAs on measures of internalized shame, self-esteem, perceived support, and teacher behavior ratings. No significant differences were found on measures of social support and shame; however self-esteem and teacher ratings for COAs were significantly lower. Gender…

Many parents know they need to talk with their children about making responsible choices but do not know where to begin. This book offers practical advice on how to begin and what to say to third to twelfth graders about drugs, sexuality, peer pressure, stress, health, the law, and mixed media messages. Each chapter focuses on a different aspect…

Background: It is not known if the prevalence of parental psychiatric disorders is higher in stepfather than intact families, or if parental alcoholism is differentially associated with risk for conduct disorder (CD) symptoms in stepfather families versus intact families. Method: The sample comprised 839 girls and 741 boys from 792 intact families…