Family patterns of dysfunction that often reinforce maladaptive behaviors and cognitions of children growing up in an alcoholic home environment are often difficult to overcome. Adjustment issues associated with being an adult child of an alcoholic (ACOA) are presented along with factors that have been identified as being important in developing…

A questionnaire on family intactness, parental and sibling relationships, and personal physical/sexual abuse histories was completed by 178 adults in treatment for drug/alcohol addiction. Results revealed that 84 percent of the sample reported a history of child abuse/neglect. (Author/CL)

Although research on children of alcoholics indicates that they are at high risk for later problem drinking, the etiological dynamics associated with this heightened risk status are not yet understood. This study compared the alcohol-related beliefs of subjects who possessed close relatives with alcohol problems with alcohol-related beliefs of…

Data from past studies on adolescent alcohol misuse and family structure of adult alcoholics formulate a picture of family environment which contains high levels of anxiety, maintenance of the problematic behavior by the family, parental modeling of inappropriate alcohol use, and lax parental control. (Author)

Compared adult children from dysfunctional families (with and without alcoholism) and adult children of functional families to gauge current relationship satisfaction. No significant differences emerged between the two dysfunctional groups. Analyses connected dysfunction in the family of origin to global distress and to difficulties with…

Examined 171 female alcoholic inpatients, including subjects' own childhood, offspring, and family environment. Found that female alcoholics resemble males alcoholics and have disturbed childhoods with a drug- or alcohol-abusing, suicidal parent. In particular, boys of female alcoholics are extremely vulnerable during adolescence and have a more…

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…

Urges teachers to educate themselves and others about alcoholism and its effects on the family; create a safe non-threatening school environment in which children of alcoholics can begin to understand their lives; and initate a support group for children of alcoholics. (DMM)

Alcoholism, and particularly alcoholism in the family, is an unsolved medical and social problem. Addictive drinking results in several social and psychological problems, most of which are caused by a change in brain function. Excessive drinking of alcoholic beverages operates as a stressor and produces alkaloids at the base of the brain that are…

Examined whether experiences of parental violence during childhood are related to two separate adulthood problems for women: victimization by severe partner violence and the development of alcohol-related problems. Violence from both parents related to each adulthood problem, but important differences between mother violence and father violence…

Historically, alcoholism has been defined as an individual problem, and as a result, family factors have received little attention. During the past decade, however, a new theoretical-methodological perspective has been introduced which draws upon general systems theory for rationale, family theory for substance, and behavioral psychology for…

This longitudinal, prospective study used case material from 232 families in its analysis of effects of family environments on criminal behavior. Men who had participated in a crime prevention program were studied 40 years after their families had first been visited by counselors. The men's convictions for serious crimes provided a measure of the…

Investigated the relationship among childhood sexual abuse and parental alcoholism, retrospective reports of family functioning, and having had a history of either suicidal ideation or suicide attempts. Subjects (n=420) were drawn from a sample of undergraduate college women. Results indicate the experiences of childhood sexual abuse and parental…

Researchers surveyed 78 clients in drug abuse treatment facilities to determine their perceptions regarding factors related to their use and abuse of drugs. About 40% of the sample began using drugs between 11 and 15 years of age. Males tended to begin using drugs at an earlier age than did females. Over 90% of participants reported using drugs…