CORK Bibliography: Adult Children of Alcoholics

16 citations. January 2003 to present

Prepared: June 2011

Amodeo M; Griffin ML. Sibling agreement on retrospective reports of parental alcoholism and other childhood events. Substance Use & Misuse 44(7): 943-964, 2009. (38 refs.)

Studies have used siblings to verify subject reports of retrospective data and examined variables influencing subject-sibling agreement, but questions remain. From 1998 to 2000, we examined a community sample of women (N = 143) in a metropolitan area, aged 21-60, balanced by race, parental alcoholism, and social class, as well as their siblings, using standardized, self-administered questionnaires and an interview. Research questions: Do subject and sibling reports agree? Do reports vary by subject characteristics, or the type of childhood experience? Descriptive statistics showed that agreement was strong for measures of parental alcoholism and psychiatric problems, weaker for family environment, and varied little by subject characteristics. Study limitations and implications are noted, and future research suggested.

Amodeo M; Griffin M; Paris R. Women's reports of negative, neutral, and positive effects of growing up with alcoholic parents. Families in Society 92(1): 69-76, 2011. (55 refs.)

Parental alcoholism does not necessarily result in negative outcomes for the offspring; we examined whether it would result in negative perceptions of the experience. Black women and White women with alcoholic parents (N = 126) rated and described the effect of parental alcoholism on them: 65% reported a negative effect, 26% reported a positive effect, and 7% reported a neutral effect. We examined these ratings in relation to the women's overall adult adjustment. More positive ratings were associated with being Black and with variables such as social support, experiencing lower family conflict, and having no alcohol problem oneself. Human service providers need greater access to research findings to see that children from these families will be diverse in their psychological and social functioning.

Balsa AI; Homer JF; French MT. The health effects of parental problem drinking on adult children. Journal of Mental Health Policy & Economics 12(2): 55-66, 2009. (34 refs.)

Background: Much of the research on adult children of alcoholics has focused on the transmission of drinking patterns from parents to their children and the development of alcohol-related problems. Less is known about how exposure to parental problem drinking affects children as they progress into adulthood in terms of other mental health outcomes. This is crucial information, in part because the average age of onset for depression and other mental health disorders is during late adolescence or young adulthood. Aims: The objective of this study was to rigorously assess the long-term impacts of parental problem drinking on adult children's mental and self-perceived overall health. The study improves on previous literature by analyzing a range of mental health markers and other predictors of morbidity, by focusing on a period of adulthood that only a limited number of studies have examined, and by using data from a highly regarded and nationally representative panel study. Data: The analysis used data from the NLSY79, a nationally representative sample of 12,686 men and women. The NLSY79 collected detailed information about personal and family characteristics, including alcohol and other substance use, for a cohort of individuals who were between the ages of 14 and 22 when first surveyed in 1979. The survey was re-administered each year through 1994 and on a biennial basis since then. The dataset provides information on parental drinking and identifies problematic drinking behaviors both among mothers and fathers. Beginning with the 1998 survey, an extensive health module was administered to respondents over 40 years of age to provide a baseline health profile of the respondents before retirement. It includes a set of measures that assess the mental, physical, and behavioral health of the respondents when they reached the age of 40. Methods: Estimation was conducted using propensity score matching (PSM) methods. Through the use of PSM methods, we control for a rich set of observed demographic, household, geographic, and economic characteristics, as well as unobserved features correlated with these variables, that predispose a parent to drink problematically, thereby reducing the possibility of estimation bias. In addition, PSM is superior to traditional multivariate regression in that it allows for the possibility of non-linear effects and the comparison of treatment and control individuals with similar characteristics. Results: The results indicate that parental problem drinking is associated with significant mental health consequences for children that persist far into adulthood. Adult respondents with a problem-drinking father were more likely to have been diagnosed with mental health problems relative to other respondents, while those with a problem-drinking mother had poorer self-perceived health and mental health (SF-12) scores. Respondents with a problem-drinking mother were also more likely to have ever been diagnosed with a mental health problem. Outcomes were worse for daughters of problem drinkers than for sons. Policy Implications: These long-lasting consequences of parental problem drinking on adult children's mental health should be considered when designing and financing interventions targeting problem drinkers and their families.

Hall J. Childhood perceptions of family, social support, parental alcoholism, and later alcohol use among African American college students. Journal of Substance Use 15(3): 157-165, 2010. (29 refs.)

This study investigated differences in alcohol use, family of origin, and social support between a sample of adult children of alcoholics (ACOAs, 25 males and 25 females), and a sample of adult children of non-alcoholics (non-ACOAs, 25 males and 25 females). Participants completed a battery of tests: a demographic questionnaire, the Children of Alcoholics Screening Test, the Michigan Alcoholism Screening Test, the Family of Origin Scale, and the Dimension of Social Support Scale. Analysis of variance revealed that the two groups differed on alcohol consumption and family of origin, with ACOAs reporting significantly less alcohol use, and non-ACOAs reporting healthier families of origin. The findings indicate that not all ACOAs abuse alcohol or struggle with social or behavioural problems.

Hinrichs J; DeFife J; Westen D. Personality subtypes in adolescent and adult children of alcoholics. A two-part study. Journal of Nervous and Mental Disease 199(7): 487-498, 2011. (46 refs.)

The authors conducted two studies to identify and to validate potential personality subtypes in the adolescent and adult children of alcoholics. As part of a broader NIMH-funded study, randomly selected psychologists and psychiatrists provided personality data on adolescent (n = 208) or adult (n = 349) children of alcoholics using a Q-sort procedure (Shedler-Westen Assessment Procedure [SWAP] YII-A for adolescents and SWAP-II for adults), which were subjected to a cluster-analytic procedure, Q-factor analysis. Q-factor analysis yielded five personality subtypes in both groups. Despite the different samples and age groups, four of the personality subtypes were highly similar, including externalizing, inhibited, emotionally dysregulated, and high-functioning. Providing initial data on their validity, the subtypes differed on axis I and II pathology, adaptive functioning, and developmental and family history variables. These findings show heterogeneity among children of alcoholics and suggest the importance of addressing personality subtypes for research and practice in treating adolescent and adult children of alcoholics.

Kelley ML; Schroeder VM; Cooke CG; Gumienny L; Platter AJ; Fals-Stewart W. Mothers' versus fathers' alcohol abuse and attachment in adult daughters of alcoholics. Journal of Family Issues 31(11): 1555-1570, 2010. (48 refs.)

Gender of the alcohol-abusing parent was examined in relation to general and romantic attachment (as measured by the Experiences in Close Relationships-Revised and the Relationship Scales Questionnaire) in female adult children of alcoholics (ACOAs; as indicated by the Children of Alcoholics Screening Test) as compared to non-ACOAs. As compared to non-ACOAs, ACOAs reported more anxious and avoidant behaviors in their romantic relationships. Female participants who suspected their mother of alcohol abuse reported significantly greater avoidance within romantic relationships as compared to those who suspected neither parent of having an alcohol problem. No differences emerged in relation to general attachment.

Martens M; Hatchet ES; Martin JL; Fowler RM; Fleming KM; Karakashian MA et al. Does trait urgency moderate the relationship between parental alcoholism and alcohol use? Addiction Research & Theory 18(4): 479-488, 2010. (37 refs.)

Many college students engage in unsafe amounts of alcohol use, resulting in considerable alcohol-related problems. Several recent studies have shown that trait urgency is positively associated with a variety of addictive behaviors. What is not known is the way it may interact with other risk factors of alcohol use in predicting alcohol-related outcomes. Thus, the purpose of the present study was to determine if trait urgency moderated the relationship between parental alcoholism and both alcohol use and alcohol-related problems. Data were collected on 324 undergraduate students who were participating in a research study as a result of an alcohol-related judicial infraction. Results indicated that trait urgency moderated the relationship between parental alcoholism and alcohol-related problems, but not parental alcoholism and alcohol use. There was a strong positive relationship between parental alcoholism and alcohol-related problems for those high in trait urgency, while no relationship existed between parental alcoholism and alcohol-related problems for those low in trait urgency. Implications of the findings are discussed.

Moore T; McArthur M; Noble-Carr D. Different but the same? Exploring the experiences of young people caring for a parent with an alcohol or other drug issue. Journal of Youth Studies 14(2): 161-177, 2011. (50 refs.)

Although children of parents with an alcohol or other drug (AOD) issue appear to assume a range of caring responsibilities within their families they have, until recently, been excluded from the growing body of young-carer research, policy and practice. This is problematic, as this group may experience greater levels of social exclusion whilst experiencing similar negative impacts of care as their caring peers. This paper discusses the findings of an exploratory qualitative research project conducted in Canberra, Australia which attempted to further understand these young people's experiences and to consider how they might best be supported. The paper challenges the way that young caring has been conceptualised and suggests that unless a number of conceptual, structural and organisational changes are made, young people caring for a parent with an AOD issue may remain relatively unsupported.

Morgan PT; Desai RA; Potenza MN. Gender-related influences of parental alcoholism on the prevalence of psychiatric illnesses: Analysis of the National Epidemiology Survey on alcohol and related conditions. Alcoholism: Clinical and Experimental Research 34(10): 1759-1767, 2010. (37 refs.)

Background: Offspring of individuals with alcoholism are at increased risk for psychiatric illness, but the effects of gender on this risk are not well known. In this study, we tested the hypothesis that the gender of the parent with alcoholism and the gender of offspring affect the association between parental alcoholism and offspring psychiatric illness. Method: We analyzed the National Epidemiology Survey on Alcohol and Related Conditions (NESARC) data to examine the gender-specific prevalence of axis I and axis II disorders in 23,006 male and 17,368 female respondents with and without a history of paternal or maternal alcoholism. Adjusted odds ratios were calculated for the disorders based on gender and presence of maternal or paternal alcoholism. Results: Maternal or paternal alcoholism was associated with a higher prevalence of every disorder examined, regardless of the gender of offspring. Gender-related differences in prevalences were present in nearly all examined disorders, and the association between parental alcoholism and offspring psychiatric disorders was significantly different in men and women. These differences included stronger associations in female offspring of men with alcoholism (alcohol abuse without dependence); in female offspring of women with alcoholism (mania, nicotine dependence, alcohol abuse, and schizoid personality disorder); in male offspring of men with alcoholism (mania); and in male offspring of women with alcoholism (panic disorder). Conclusions: Interactions between gender and parental alcoholism were specific to certain disorders but varied in their effects, and in general female children of women with alcoholism appear at greatest risk for adult psychopathology.

Ohannessian CM; Hesselbrock VA. Do alcohol expectancies moderate the relationship between parental alcoholism and adult drinking behaviors? Addictive Behaviors 29(5): 901-909, 2004. (17 refs.)

The relations between parental alcoholism, alcohol expectancies, and adult drinking behaviors were examined among 76 offspring of alcoholics and 68 offspring of nonalcoholics. The primary goals of the present study were to examine whether maternal and/or paternal alcoholism are related to adult alcohol expectancies and to explore whether the relationship between parental alcoholism and adult drinking behaviors is moderated by alcohol expectancies. Gender differences also were assessed. Findings indicated that alcohol expectancies were not significantly influenced by parental alcoholism. Significant moderating effects for global-positive expectancies and sexual enhancement expectancies also were not obtained. In contrast, social assertiveness expectancies were found to consistently moderate the relationship between paternal alcoholism and drinking behaviors. These results indicated that offspring of alcoholic fathers with high expectations for increased social assertiveness were most "at risk" for problematic drinking, especially males.

Olmsted ME; Crowell JA; Waters E. Assortative mating among adult children of alcoholics and alcoholics. Family Relations 52(1): 64-71, 2003. (57 refs.)

Relations between parental alcoholism, self-alcoholism, and partner-alcoholism were examined in a nonclinical, non-self-identified sample of 128 married and engaged young couples. Couples were recruited to participate in a longitudinal study of close relationships. They were assessed using three alcoholism questionnaires that included reports of parent-, partner-, and self-alcohol use. Participants were predominantly White and well educated. Cross-sectional analyses indicated that alcoholics tend to marry other alcoholics and that male adult children of alcoholics (ACOA) are more likely, to be alcoholic than their female counterparts. The relation between parental alcoholism and partner's alcoholism was affected by self-alcoholism in male participants. There was a significant relation between ACOA status and marriage to alcoholics for women that was not affected by their own alcoholism.

Scharff JL; Broida JP; Conway K; Yue A. The interaction of parental alcoholism, adaptation role, and familial dysfunction. Addictive Behaviors 29(3): 575-581, 2004. (20 refs.)

Many people believe that parental alcoholism has adverse consequences on children -- some research fails to support this hypothesis. Familial dysfunction is often regarded as having a more important impact on adults, perhaps because of a failure to recognize that adult children of alcoholics (ACOAs) may have adopted more than one coping strategy. The present study investigated within-group differences in psychological symptomology as measured by the Millon Clinical Multiaxial Inventory (MCMI). ACOAs, were compared by roles (Hero, Mascot, Lost Child, and Scapegoat) to non-ACOAs as measured by familial dysfunction and roles. MANOVA indicated significant main effects of dysfunction, role, ACOA, and an interaction of role and ACOA. Failures to recognize the impact of parental alcoholism may be caused by multiple adaptation strategies.

Vungkhanching M; Sher KJ; Jackson KM; Parra GR. Relation of attachment style to family history of alcoholism and alcohol use disorders in early adulthood. Drug and Alcohol Dependence 75(1): 47-53, 2004. (59 refs.)

The present study examined the association between paternal alcoholism and attachment style in early adulthood and sought to determine whether attachment style might, at least partially, mediate intergenerational risk for alcoholism. The current report focuses on the cross-sectional relation between family history (FH) of alcoholism, attachment styles, and alcohol use disorders (AUD) when cohort members were, on average, 29 years old (N=369; 46% male; 51% FH+). Results indicated that FH+ participants were more likely to have insecure attachment, characterized by fearful-avoidant and dismissed-avoidant styles. Additionally, fearful-avoidant and dismissed-avoidant attachment styles were related to the presence of an AUD even after controlling for sex and FH (P < 0.05). There was little evidence, however, that attachment style mediated the relation between paternal alcoholism and AUD in offspring; the FH-AUD association was only negligibly reduced when the effect of attachment style was controlled. Our findings suggest that insecure attachment style is a risk factor for AUD, independent of familial risk for alcoholism.

West SL; Graham CW. Assessing parental alcoholism: Predictor of Hispanic and Anglo college student drinking and other drug use. Alcoholism Treatment Quarterly 24(3): 93-107, 2006

This research was undertaken to assess parental alcoholism as a predictor of the substance-using behaviors of 418 Hispanic and Anglo college students as compared with other potential predictors including age, gender, ethnicity, and membership in Greek societies. Multiple regression tests were conducted with parental alcoholism, participant age, gender, ethnicity, Greek society membership, and the twoway interaction of ethnicity and parental alcoholism as predictors, and total alcohol use, binge drinking, marijuana and cocaine use as criterion variables. Parental alcoholism was not significantly linked to any substance use outcome. Ethnicity significantly predicted abusive drinking, with Anglos reporting more frequent and greater use than Hispanics. Participant age predicted marijuana and cocaine use, with older respondents being more likely to report such use. The high rates of substance use in this population may have lessened the usefulness of parental alcoholism status as a predictor of student substance use.

Xiao Q; Dong MX; Yao J; Li WX; Ye DQ. Parental alcoholism, adverse childhood experiences, and later risk of personal alcohol abuse among Chinese medical students. Biomedical and Environmental Sciences 21(5): 411-419, 2008. (21 refs.)

Objective: To determine the status of adverse childhood experiences (ACEs) and the association of multiple ACEs with both parental alcoholism and latter personal alcohol among Chinese medical students with a view of improving adolescent health and reducing alcohol abuse among them. Methods In this cross-sectional study, 2073 Chinese medical students completed a survey on ten categories of ACEs in Anhui province of China. The association of parental alcoholism with ACEs and personal alcohol abuse was assessed by logistic regression analyses. Results: The adjusted odds ratio (OR) for each category of ACEs in the subjects whose parents (either fathers or mothers or both) had alcohol abuse was 2 to 14 times higher than that in those with parental alcoholism (P