Abstract
Drug use has previously been identified as a risk factor for child-to-parent abuse. We examine how common it is for parents to be exposed to physical violence and property damage by adult children with drug problems, and whether such victimization varies based on factors related to the parents and the adult children, respectively. A self-report questionnaire on victimization was completed by 687 parents of adult children with drug problems. The data were collected via a postal questionnaire to members of the Parents Against Drugs association and a web-based questionnaire to persons recruited via social media, treatment centers and other associations for families of drug users. The proportion of parents who reported having been exposed to physical violence was 19% ever, 6% during the past year. The proportion who had been exposed to property damage was 40% ever, 10% during the past year. Exposure during the past year was higher among parents whose children were currently experiencing drug problems. Mental health problems in the children were associated with higher levels of parental victimization, particularly in the form of physical violence. Parental victimization was also associated with the children being younger and still living at home. Exposure to property damage was higher among parents of male children. Adult children’s drug problems are of significance for parental victimization; they do not however appear to constitute a major risk factor but rather one risk factor among several others. Exposure to physical violence is clearly related to the presence of mental health problems in the children.
Highlights
Problem drug use often produces negative consequences both for drug users themselves and for family members and others who are close to them (Copello et al 2000; Orford et al 2013)
We focus on parents who have been exposed to two different types of aggressive behavior, physical violence and property damage, by adult children with drug problems
Of the parents who answered the questions on exposure to physical violence and property damage committed by their adult children, 19.0% (125 of 659 parents) reported that they had ever been exposed to physical violence and 39.9% (263 of 670 parents) that they had ever been exposed to property damage
Summary
Problem drug use often produces negative consequences both for drug users themselves and for family members and others who are close to them (Copello et al 2000; Orford et al 2013). Members who live in close proximity to the drug user – partners, children, parents or siblings – are substantially affected and their lives are often characterized by constant worry, stress and feelings of shame and guilt (Richert et al 2018; Orford et al 2013). Our research focuses on the parents of adult individuals (aged 18 or over) who have, or have had, problems with illicit drugs. Love of one’s children, coupled with powerful social norms regarding the meaning of good parenting and the stigma and risks that drug addiction can entail, mean that the life situation of parents is often significantly affected by the problems of their adult children. Several aspects of the parents’ life situation are often affected: social relations within and outside the family, physical and mental health, work and the family economy (Richert et al 2018)
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