The present paper compared drinking and drug use in Adult Children of Alcoholics (ACOAs), compared to non-ACOAs, among college students. Participants were 572 undergraduates. ACOAs were more likely to be current drug users than non-ACOAs. ACOAs reported initiating alcohol use earlier than non-ACOAs; however, ACOAs did not drink more often or more…

Psychosocial adjustment in children of alcoholics (N = 114) was examined in the year before and at three follow-ups in the 15 months after their alcoholic fathers entered alcoholism treatment, testing the hypothesis that children's adjustment problems will vary over time as a function of their fathers' heavy drinking patterns. Three unique…

The study explores the role of race and differences in coping among 290 white women and black women with and without alcoholic parents, addressing two questions: (1) Does coping vary by parental alcoholism or race? and (2) How is coping in adulthood affected by childhood stressors and resources and by adulthood resources? Standardized…

Most research uses a family systems level approach to examine the long range impact of parental substance abuse on the family. In this article, a micro-level approach is used to examine the immediate impact of parental substance use on adolescent adjustment. (Contains 1 figure.)

Surveyed 860 college students. Found significantly greater problem drinking indicated by students who reported having parent or grandparent diagnosed or treated for alcoholism; highest rates of problem drinking among students who reported both alcoholic parent and grandparent. Students who had experienced family discord from parental alcohol…

Although adolescent alcohol and drug use is decreasing, many teenagers continue to use alcohol and drugs. Studies of adolescent alcohol use typically sample intact high school populations, excluding dropouts and adolescents alienated from straight high school populations. Alcohol and drug use and alcohol related attitudes were measured in 62…

The connection between parental alcohol abuse and adolescent life stress, adolescent alcohol abuse and adolescent running away is explored in this study of 907 adolescents ranging in age from 12-17. The purpose of this study is to determine whether or not alcohol abuse and running away can be viewed as a response to, or an escape from stress. It…

The objectives of this project are two-fold: (1) to provide runaway counselors--both professional and paraprofessional--with training in the knowledge and skills needed to effectively deal with runaways and families affected by alcohol abuse, and to evaluate the impact of this training, and (2) to document the incidence and degree of alcohol abuse…

Explores the potential causes of abusive use of alcohol among young blacks, focusing on the black family, with emphasis given to the children, their peers, their communities, and the conditions that influence their life styles and drinking patterns. The data includes interviews with 13 males, age 8-13 years, and 9 females, age 13-15 years, and…

Noting that little is known about how communication functions in alcoholic families, and about the effects of this alcoholic home environment on children of alcoholics, their communication patterns, and their relationships, this paper identifies strengths and weaknesses in existing literature on the alcoholic family and children of alcoholics. In…

Parameters of intrafamilial discord have been identified in this study by examining interaction in the family of orientation, establishing their relationship to alcoholism in the invididual. The sample was comprised of 96 problem drinkers, both public and private patients, who are receiving help from Straight and Narrow Incorporated, Paterson, New…

Used latent growth curve modeling to examine adolescent alcohol expectancies as mediators of effects of parent alcoholism on escalation in adolescent heavy drinking. Found that parent alcoholism directly affected adolescent heavy drinking. Alcohol expectancies did not mediate parent alcoholism effects. Cross-sectional evidence suggested that…

This document reviews the literature on the following: (1) studies on the nature of the Hispanic family; (2) studies on the prevalence of Hispanic alcohol use and abuse; (3) general impact studies on the consequences for children of family alcoholism; and (4) studies of family factors that appear to protect or shield high risk children from the…

Reports on Soviet parents' responses to a 1986 survey concerning parental influence on children and alcohol use. Points out that most parents perceive the link between their own alcohol use and children's drinking but cultural traditions and alcoholic habits often preclude change. Notes parents' opinions on effectiveness of governmental and school…

The study examined the increase of drinking from 1964 to 1975 among teenagers enrolled in two high schools in different sociocultural rural areas of Mississippi. The sample was composed of students in two high schools located in a "wet" county and a "dry" county. A questionnaire was administered to 525 students in 1964 and 793…