Adolescents with Alcoholic Parents

Paper Summary:

This paper explains that research indicates that adolescents of alcoholic parents are prone to developing abnormal behavior due to environmental, cognitive and biological influences. The author points out that mental disorders, such as depression or anxiety, are common side effects of adolescents who are subjected to an environment where the parents are alcoholics. The paper states that children from these homes often demonstrate behavioral problems, such as stealing and fighting, and often are diagnosed as having conduct disorders. The author underscores that children of alcoholic parents are raised in an environment where alcohol consumption compensates for the lack of social skills. The paper states that these children suffer academically because of the parent's lack of support for their child at school. The author stresses the importance of identifying protective factors and educating society to reduce the hazards of abnormal behavior in children of alcoholic parents.

From the Paper:

"Along with environmental factors, children of alcoholics can suffer from cognitive misperceptions and dichotomous thinking. For example, when children experience feelings of guilt due to their parents drinking and assume that it is their fault, this is a form of illogical and dichotomous thinking. The children develop illogical thought patterns and self-blame primarily due to their parents not taking responsibility for their drinking, which will eventually lead to abnormal behaviors by the child."

Sample of Sources Used:

• FILSTEAD, W.J.; McElfresh, O.; and Anderson, C. Comparing the family environments of alcoholic and "normal" families. Journal of Alcohol and Drug Education 26(2):24-31, 1981
• JOHNSON, J. L. & Leff, M. "Children of substance abusers: Overview of research findings." Pediatrics, 103(5), 1085-1099, 1999.
• KNOP, J.; Teasdale, T.W.; Schulsinger, F.; and Goodwin D.W. A prospective study of young men at high risk for alcoholism: School behavior and achievement. Journal of Studies on Alcohol 46(4):273-278, 1985.
• MERIKANGAS, K.R.; Weissman, M.M.; Prusoff, B.A.; Pauls, D.L.; and Leckman, J.F. Depressives with secondary alcoholism: Psychiatric disorders in offspring. Journal of Studies on Alcohol 46(3):199-204, 1985.
• MOOS, R.H., & Billings, A.G. Children of alcoholics during the recovery process: Alcoholic and matched control families. Addictive Behaviors 7:155-163, 1982.

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