Differences among nonclinical college women with alcoholic mothers, alcoholic fathers, and nonalcoholic parents.

Abstract

To further examine the uniformity myth as it pertains to adult children of alcoholics (ACAs) and to elucidate potential within-ACA difference variables, differences among nonclinical college females with alcoholic fathers (F-ACAs), alcoholic mothers (M-ACAs), and no alcoholic parents (non-ACAs) were explored. These groups were compared in terms of eating disorder symptomatology, interpersonal difficulties, and reports of abuse. F-ACAs reported significantly more distress arising from interpersonal problems than did non-ACAs. Non-ACAs reported significantly fewer threats of parent-perpetrated abuse than either ACA group, whereas F-ACAs reported significantly more father-perpetrated threats of abuse than either non-ACAs or M-ACAs. F-ACAs also reported a significantly higher prevalence of father-perpetrated physical abuse than did M-ACAs. Suggestions for future research are made, and counseling implications are discussed.