Emotional Experiences of the Children of Alcoholic Fathers
Keywords:
alcoholAbstract
Objective: This study aimed to investigate the negative life events experienced by children living with alcoholic fathers, the influence of their parents' attitudes, and the attitudes they develop as a result of these influences. Method: A retrospective review of the files of children of alcoholic fathers who were treated for alcohol dependence and underwent psychiatric evaluations in child psychiatry was conducted. Psychiatric interviews with the children in the files assessed their experiences during the period when their parents used alcohol and the impact of their fathers' alcoholism. Findings: The files of thirty-three children were evaluated. The children reported 93.9% family problems, 81.8% negative life events, 63.6% witnessing or experiencing domestic violence, 51.5% parental separation, and 60.6% exposure to their fathers' negative behavior. Children developed behavioral and emotional responses such as sadness (81.8%), fear (69.7%), a desire to stay away from their fathers (36.4%), anxiety about their mothers (24.2%), clinging to their mothers (21.2%), an inability to be alone (18.2%), and an inability to sleep alone (15.2%). Conclusion: The study found that children were affected by parental separation, the domestic violence they encountered, and their fathers' negative attitudes and behaviors during periods of alcohol use. Children were found to experience sadness and fear in the face of negative life events experienced by their fathers during periods of alcohol use, and, in parallel, they desired to stay away from their fathers, experienced anxiety about their mothers, and developed behaviors such as clinging to their mothers.
References
Emshoff JG, Price AW. Prevention and intervention strategies with children of alcoholics. Pediatrics 1999; 103:1112-21.
Scharff JL, Broida JP, Conway K, et al. The interaction of parental alcoholism, adaptation role, and familial dysfunction. Addict Behav 2004; 29:575-81.
Anda RF, Whitfield CL, Felitti VJ, Chapman D, Edwards VJ, Dube SR, Williamson DF Adverse childhood experiences, alcoholic parents, and later risk of alcoholism and depression Psychiatr Serv 2002; 53:1001-9.
Moos RH, Billings AG. Children of alcoholics during the recovery process: Alcoholic and matched control families. Addictive Behaviors 1982; 7:155-163.
Clair D, Genest M. Variables assosiated with the adjustment of offspring of alcoholics fathers. Journal of Studies on Alcohol 1986; 48:345-355.
Billinds AG, Kessler M, Gomberg CA, et al. Marital conflict resolution of alcoholics and nonalcoholic couples during drinking and nondrinking sessions. Journal of Studies on Alcohol 1979; 40:183-195.
Velleman R, Orford J. The adult adjustment of offspring of parents with drinking problems Br J Psychiatry 1993; 162:503-16.
Orford, J, Velleman, R. Childhood and adulthood influences on the adjustment of young adults with and without parents with drinking problems. Addiction Research 1995; 3:1–15.
Menees MM, Segrin C. The specificity of disrupted processes in families of adult children of alcoholics. Alcohol Alcohol 2000; 35:361-7.
Cork RM. The forgetten children. Toronto: Alcoholism and Drug Addiction Resarch Foundation, 1969.
Furtado EF, Laucht M, Schmidt MH. Psychological symptoms in children of alcoholic fathers. Z Kinder Jugendpsychiatr Psychother 2002; 30:241-50.
Children of Alcoholics: Are They Different? National İnstitute on Alcohol Abuse and Alcoholism. Alcohol Alert 1990: 9: 288.
Eiden RD, Chavez F, Leonard KE. Parent-infant interactions among families with alcoholic fathers Dev Psychopathol 1999; 11:745-62.
Eiden RD, Leonard KE, Hoyle RH, et al. A transactional model of parent-infant interactions in alcoholic families. Psychol Addict Behav 2004; 18:350-61.
Sher, KJ, Walitzer KS, Wood PK, et al. Characteristics of children of alcoholics: putative risk factors, substance use and abuse and psychopathology. Journal of Abnormal Psychology 1991; 100, 427–448.
Windle M., Windle RC, Scheidt DM, et al. Physical and sexual abuse and associated mental disorders among alcoholic inpatients. American Journal of Psychiatry 1995; 152, 1322–1328.
Sher KJ, Gershuny BS, Peterson L, et al. The role of childhood stressors in the intergenerational transmission of alcohol disorders. Journal on the Studies of Alcohol 1997; 106, 414–427.
Dube SR, Anda RF, Felitti VJ, et al. Growing up with parental alcohol abuse: exposure to childhood abuse, neglect, and household dysfunction. Child Abuse Negl 2001; 25:1627-40.
Bensley LS, Spieker SJ, McMahon RJ. Parenting behavior of adolescent children of alcoholics. Addiction 1994; 89:1265-76.
Rao KN, Begum S, Venkataramana V, et al. Nutritional neglect and physical abuse in children of alcoholics. Indian J Pediatr 2001; 68:843-5.
Mirsal H, Kalyoncu A, Pektaş O, et al. Childhood trauma in alcoholics. Alcohol Alcohol. 2004; 39:126-9.
Andreas JB, O’Farrell TJ, Fals-Stewart WJ. Does individual treatment for alcoholic fathers benefit their children? A longitudinal assessment. Consult Clin Psychol 2006; 74:191-8.
Kelley ML, Nair V, Rawlings T, et al. Retrospective reports of parenting received in their families of origin: relationships to adult attachment in adult children of alcoholics. Addict Behav 2005; 30:1479-95.
Werner EE, Johnson JL. The role of caring adults in the lives of children of alcoholics Subst Use Misuse 2004; 39:699-720.
Scharff JL, Broida JP, Conway K, et al. The interaction of parental alcoholism, adaptation role, and familial dysfunction. Addict Behav 2004; 29:575-81.
Langeland W, Draijer N, van den Brink W. Psychiatric comorbidity in treatment-seeking alcoholics: the role of childhood trauma and perceived parental dysfunction Alcohol Clin Exp Res 2004; 28:441-7.
Ellis DA, Zucker RA, Fitzgerald HE. The role of family influences in development and risk. Alcohol Health Res World 1997; 21:218-26.
Walker JP, Lee RE. Uncovering strenghs of children of alcoholic parents. Contemporary Famly Therapy 1998; Desember 20:521-538.
Devine C, Braithwaite V. The survival roles of children of alcoholics: Their measurement and validity. British Journal of Addiction 1992; 88:69-78.
Roosa MW, Dumka L, Tein J. Family characteristics as mediators of the influence of problem drinking and multiple risk status on child mental health. American Journal of Community Psychology 1996; 24, 607-624.
Downloads
Published
How to Cite
Issue
Section
License
Copyright (c) 2025 Journal of Dependence
This work is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial-NoDerivatives 4.0 International License.
...