Adolescent Children Of Alcoholics Research Articles

Behavioural Problems in Adolescent Children of Alcoholics

Baglam: Alkol bagimliligi sendromu hem bireyleri hem de aileyi etkileyen onemli bir sorundur. Alkole bagimli ebeveynlerin cocuklari bircok davranis problemine karsi savunmasizdir. Batidaki calismalar, bu cocuklarda hem icsel hem de dissal semptomlari gostermistir. Amac: Alkole bagimli ebeveynlerin yavrularinda psikolojik islevlerini ve alkol bagimliliginin siddeti ile iliskilerini degerlendirmek. Ayarlar ve Tasarim: Bu calisma Bangalore'deki bir ucuncu basamak hastanenin Psikiyatri Bolumu'nde bir yillik bir sure icinde yurutulmustur. Alkol bagimliligi olan 11 baba ile 18 yas arasindaki 80 cocuga yaklasildi. Yontem ve Gerec: Ebeveynin ve cocugun sosyografik demografik bilgileri yari yapilandirilmis bir Performa tarafindan bilgilendirilmis onam alinarak toplandi. Alkol bagimliliginin siddeti Alkol Bagimliligi Siddeti Anketi (SADQ) kullanilarak degerlendirildi. Cocuklarin psikolojik islevleri Genclik Oz Raporlama Olcegi (YSR) kullanilarak degerlendirildi. Kullanilan istatistiksel analiz: SPSS V20 Bulgular: Degerlendirilen 80 cocuktan 41'i erkek, 39'u kadindi. % 47.5'i anlamli icsellestirme belirtileri ve% 48.7'si onemli dissallastirma belirtileri gosterdi. Icsellestirme puanlari kizlarla daha yuksek korelasyona sahipti (P ​​- 0.004) ve erkeklerde dissallastirma semptomlari (P - 0.008). Ancak babada bagimliligin siddeti ile korelasyon bulunmadi. Sonuc: Alkol bagimlisi babalarin cocuklarinda dissallastirma ve icsellestirme davranislari acisindan psikiyatrik morbidite prevalansinin yuksek oldugu bulunmustur. Bu nedenle, bu sorunlarin erken teshisi ve mudahale bu grupta daha iyi calismayi saglayacaktir.

Etiology of Teen Dating Violence among Adolescent Children of Alcoholics.

Family processes in early life have been implicated in adolescent involvement in teen dating violence, yet the developmental pathways through which this occurs are not well understood. In this study, etiological pathways from parental psychopathology and marital conflict in infancy to involvement in dating violence in late adolescence were examined in a sample of children at high-risk due to parental alcohol problems. Families (N = 227) recruited when the child was 12 months of age were assessed at 12-, 24-, 36-months, kindergarten, 6th, 8th, and 12th grades. Slightly more than half of the children were female (51%) and the majority were of European American descent (91%). Parental psychopathology in infancy was indirectly associated with teen dating violence in late adolescence via low maternal warmth and self-regulation in early childhood, externalizing behavior from kindergarten to early adolescence, and sibling problems in middle childhood. Marital conflict was also indirectly associated with teen dating violence via child externalizing behavior. Maternal warmth and sensitivity in early childhood emerged as an important protective factor and was associated with reduced marital conflict and increased child self-regulation in the preschool years as well as increased parental monitoring in middle childhood and early adolescence. Family processes occurring in the preschool years and in middle childhood appear to be critical periods for creating conditions that contribute to dating violence risk in late adolescence. These findings underscore the need for early intervention and prevention with at-risk families.

Parental alcohol abuse and eating behaviors in adolescents

Abstract Introduction. Parental alcohol abuse hinders a child’s development, which means that these children are more exposed to mental health problems. Aim. The aim of this study was to analyze the link between the intensity of eating disorders in youngsters and family alcoholism. Material and methods. The study was conducted among adolescents in the Lubelskie province. 1766 students, aged 12 to 22 were participants in the study. The authors used a method called Eating Disorder Inventory, as well as a self-designed questionnaire that included assessing the characteristics of every family. Results. The findings of this study show that increased symptoms of eating disorders in children and teenagers correlates with alcohol dependency in the family. Adolescent children of alcoholics have higher levels of conflict identifying feelings and emotions (hunger, security) correctly. They were more likely to deem their actions as ineffective, as well as they were more frequently prone to binge eating than individuals who were not affected by drinking parents. Conclusions. There is a need for some future work and preventive measures to be taken in families affected by problem drinking.

Adolescent Children of Alcoholics on Disclosure, Support, and Assessment of Trustworthy Adults

The aim of this study is to describe adolescent children of alcoholics’ (COA) perspectives on disclosure and support. COA reported assessing the trustworthiness of adults before disclosing their home situation. Before disclosure they may have raised their own level of consciousness, told a peer, told an adult stranger, or in-directly communicated with an adult. These findings are the result of interviews with 27 adolescents attending support groups for COA in Sweden. Adults, who ask questions, listen carefully and cooperate with the child/adolescent, and who are knowledgeable about families with alcohol problems, are considered as supportive and trustworthy. The adolescents reported psychological, communicative, environmental, and generational aspects of the disclosure process.

Incentive‐elicited striatal activation in adolescent children of alcoholics

Deficient recruitment of motivational circuitry by non-drug rewards has been postulated as a pre-morbid risk factor for substance dependence (SD). We tested whether parental alcoholism, which confers risk of SD, is correlated with altered recruitment of ventral striatum (VS) by non-drug rewards in adolescence. During functional magnetic resonance imaging, adolescent children of alcoholics (COA; age 12-16 years) with no psychiatric disorders (including substance abuse) and similarly aged children with no risk factors responded to targets to win or avoid losing $0, $0.20, $1, $5 or a variable amount (ranging from $0.20 to $5). In general, brain activation by either reward anticipation or outcome notification did not differ between COA and age/gender-matched controls. Cue-elicited reward anticipation activated portions of VS in both COA and controls. In nucleus accumbens (NAcc), signal change increased with anticipated reward magnitude (with intermediate recruitment by variable incentives) but not with loss magnitudes. Reward deliveries activated the NAcc and mesofrontal cortex in both COA and controls. Losses activated anterior insula bilaterally in both groups, with more extensive right anterior insula activation by losses in controls. NAcc signal change during anticipation of maximum rewards (relative to non-reward) correlated positively with both Brief Sensation-Seeking Scale scores and with self-reported excitement in response to maximum reward cues (relative to cues for non-reward). Among adolescents with no psychiatric disorders, incentive-elicited VS activation may relate more to individual differences in sensation-seeking personality than to presence of parental alcoholism alone. Future research could focus on adolescents with behavior disorders or additional risk factors.

Ego Identity of Adolescent Children of Alcoholics

The study examines the issue of ego identity among adolescent sons of alcoholic fathers. Forty-four adolescent sons of alcoholic fathers, age of 15-18, constituted the sample. They were drawn from public alcohol treatment center in Israel. The control group included 60 adolescents none of their parents is known as an alcoholic, sampled from integrative schools in the same neighborhood and matched by age. Ego identity was measured by Tzuriel's "Adolescent Ego Identity Scale" (AEIS). It was hypothesized that adolescent children of alcoholics will show lower scores of ego identity and of its dimensions. The hypothesis was not confirmed. To the contrary, adolescent children of alcoholics reported higher scores of "ego identity-total" and of four of the seven ego identity dimensions. One possible explanation is that children of alcoholics are maturing early in age compared to their controls. They have developed different coping strategies that facilitate creating a more "stable" ego identity compared to their peers. Another explanation is that children of alcoholics apply defense mechanisms that enhance the development of an "adaptive self."

DRD2 genotypes and substance use in adolescent children of alcoholics

Research has identified children of alcoholics (COAs) as a population at increased risk for developing substance use problems. Genetic studies support the Al allele of the D2 dopamine receptor gene (DRD2) as a risk marker for alcoholism and substance use disorders. In this study, substance use was assessed in 48 adolescent boys of alcoholics with the DRDR A1 + allele (A1A1/A1A2 genotypes) or the A1 − allele (A2A2 genotype). The results revealed that boys with the A1 + allele tried ( p = 0.0001) and got intoxicated on alcohol more often ( p = 0.009) than boys with the A1 − allele. Boys with the A1 + allele tried more ( p = 0.004) and used more substances overall ( p = 0.008) than boys with the A1 − allele. Boys with the A1 + allele developed a tobacco habit more often ( p = 0.03) and experienced marijuana high at an earlier age ( p = 0.001) than boys with the A1 − allele. The best predictors of substance use severity in boys with the A1 + allele were Psychoticism ( p = 0.01) and Negative Affect ( p = 0.04). The results provide support for the DRD2 A1 allele as a marker identifying a subgroup of COAs at high risk for developing substance use problems.

Effects of an Emotional Disclosure Writing Task on the Physical and Psychological Functioning of Children of Alcoholics

This study investigated the effects of an emotional disclosure writing task on the physical and psychological functioning of pre-teen and adolescent children of alcoholics (N = 53). Participants were randomly assigned to one of three conditions: An emotional writing group, a non-emotional writing group, or a non-writing control group. Essays written by participants in both the emotional and non-emotional conditions differed significantly in content in hypothesized ways. Contradictory to what was expected, emotional disclosure failed to convey any additional health benefits. A general improvement was found for all groups over time on internalizing symptoms, affect, and physical symptoms.

Developmental Perspectives on Risk and Vulnerability in Alcoholic Families

Developmental Perspectives on Risk and Vulnerability in Alcoholic Families

The Impact of Parental Alcoholism on Self-Esteem and Depression Among African-American Adolescents

ABSTRACT This study sought to determine the relationship between parental alcoholism, feelings of self-esteem and depression among children of alcoholics (COAs) in a sample of 649 African-American adolescents twelve to nineteen years old. Three instruments were used in the study: The Children of Alcoholics Screening Test (CAST), The Hopkins Symptom Checklist (HSCL) Revised and The New York (Rosenberg) Self Esteem Scale. The results showed that about one out of four adolescents was a COA. COAs scored lower on self-esteem than the nonCOAs and females in general scored lower on self-esteem than males. COAs were found to experience a higher level of depression than the nonCOAs and higher levels of depression were also found in females in general than in males. Depression was the strongest predictor of the status of being a COA. All these findings were statistically significant. The study has implications for counseling and prevention efforts among African-American adolescent COAs.

Academic achievement in adolescent children of alcoholics.

The current study tested whether adolescent children of alcoholics (COAs) showed poorer academic performance than did demographically matched controls, and whether such parent alcoholism effects varied as a function of heterogeneity within the COA sample. In addition, controlling for parent educational attainment, we examined whether relations between parental alcohol dependence and academic performance could be accounted for by COAs' lower levels of task orientation, heightened levels of environmental stress, lowered levels of family organization and less parental involvement in their school activities. A sample of 221 adolescent COAs and 196 demographically matched controls (53% boys, mean [+/-SD] age = 12.7+/-1.46 years), and their parents, were included in the current study. Adolescents were selected from a larger 3-year longitudinal study in which participants were interviewed three times at annual intervals. Those who were interviewed at Time 3 and who had academic achievement data were included in the current analyses. Demographic information and diagnoses of parental alcoholism were collected at Time 1, and data on potential mediators were collected at Time 3. Academic achievement data were collected at Time 3 from school records. Multiple regression analyses indicated that COAs received lower school grades than did their non-COA peers (mean = 2.19+/-1.08 vs 2.54+/-1.01, respectively). COAs with two alcoholic parents (mean = 1.80+/-1.17) and COAs with at least one parent diagnosed alcohol dependent (mean = 2.01+/-1.01) showed particularly low grades. Parental alcohol dependence was also associated with lower math achievement scores (mean = 48.52+/-24.68 vs 62.47+/-26.71). Evidence indicated that adolescents' task orientation mediated the relation between parental alcohol dependence and adolescent grades (indirect effect, t = -2.93, 289 df, p < .01), and between parental alcohol dependence and adolescent math achievement (indirect effect, t = -1.99, 194 df, p < .01). Adolescents' life stress did not mediate the relations of interest after controlling for task orientation. The current study confirmed that COAs, particularly those whose parents are alcohol dependent as opposed to having a diagnosis of alcohol abuse, achieve relatively lower academic outcomes in comparison to non-COA peers. Adolescent task orientation partially mediated the relations between parent alcohol dependence and academic achievement, indicating that academic difficulties in COAs may be partly due to impaired motivation and organization.

Alcohol Abuse and Conduct Disorder Among African-American Male Adolescent COAs and NonCOAs

ABSTRACT This study sought to determine the proportion of adolescents who are children of alcoholics (COAs) in a sample of 595 African-American males aged 13 to 17 years, and to investigate the relationship between alcohol and conduct disorder among COAs and nonCOAs. The instruments used were the Children of Alcoholics Screening Test (CAST) and a condensed version of the Children's Structured Assessment for the Genetics of Alcoholism (C-SAGA). Results showed that 23% of the adolescents were COAs. Twenty-seven percent of the COAs were alcohol abusers as compared to 17% of nonCOAs, while 78% of COAs as opposed to 69% of nonCOAs were involved in conduct disorder. Chi-square analysis examined the difference between COAs and nonCOAs on the specific subtypes of conduct disorder and showed COAs to be at a greater chance of engaging in such activities on five of the 13, notably: stealing without confrontation/forgery, running away from home, lying, deliberately setting fire, and breaking into property. Those COAs who abused alcohol were at a greater chance than the nonCOAs abusers of engaging in nine of the 13 subtypes of conduct disorder.

Substance use initiation among adolescent children of alcoholics: testing protective factors.

Past research suggests that adolescent children of alcoholics (COAs) are at heightened risk for alcohol and drug use. However, not all COAs use substances during adolescence. The current study investigated whether five factors (self-awareness, perceived control, family organization, behavioral coping and cognitive coping) buffer COA risk for substance use initiation during adolescence. A community sample of 454 COA and matched control families was recruited to participate in a 3-year longitudinal study, involving annual computer-assisted interviews with adolescents and their parents. Subjects were selected for the current study if they had complete data at all three assessment periods and showed either abstinence throughout the study or substance use initiation after the first wave of assessment. A subsample of 267 (127 COAs, 147 controls; 147 male) of the original participants was included in the current analyses. Logistic regress on analyses found some support for the buffering hypothesis in that COAs with greater perceived control or extreme (very low or high) levels of cognitive coping were less likely to initiate substance use than their peers. Main effects suggested that adolescents reporting high family organization and either very low or very high levels of behavioral coping were less likely to initiate substance use over the course of the study. These findings suggest that highly organized families and behavioral coping efforts may deter substance use initiation. Moreover, perceived control over one's environment and cognitive coping may buffer adolescents from the risk associated with parent alcoholism for substance use.

Parenting behavior of adolescent children of alcoholics

We compared the parenting behavior of children of alcoholics (COAs) and non-COAs within a sample of adolescent mothers. COAs and their children showed dyadic behaviors that were less problematic than those of their peers on mother-child teaching interactions at 1 year of age, mother-child interactions during structured play at pre-school age and child attachment behavior at pre-school age. COAs reported feeling relatively more rejection as compared to love from the alcoholic parent, but this was not related to their own parenting scores. Similar to other research, COAs reported more historical life stress, more family disruption and more drug use compared to non-COAs, but these measures also were not related to parenting scores. These results suggest that, although adolescent mothers are at risk for parenting difficulties compared to adult mothers, adolescent COAs do not necessarily encounter more problems in parenting their own children compared to other adolescent mothers.

A comparison of mechanisms underlying substance use for early adolescent children of alcoholics and controls.

The current study examined differences between children of alcoholics (COAs) and controls in parent monitoring, stress-negative affect, and temperament mechanisms underlying early adolescent substance use. Using structural equation modeling, we tested whether these mechanisms were equally predictive of substance use for both groups. We extended an earlier study that tested mediators of COA risk for substance use but did not examine COA status as a moderator of these mechanisms. Overall, we found no evidence of differential importance for COAs and non-COAs of the parent monitoring and negative affect mechanisms. Parental socialization and negative affect mechanisms significantly predicted adolescent substance use regardless of COA status. Differences did emerge regarding the effects of age and parent education on peer substance use and the effect of sociability on adolescent substance use.

Substance use escalation and substance use restraint among adolescent children of alcoholics.

Substance use escalation and substance use restraint among adolescent children of alcoholics.

Substance use escalation and substance use restraint among adolescent children of alcoholics.

Substance use escalation and substance use restraint among adolescent children of alcoholics.

Spatial learning deficits in adolescent children of alcoholics.

Spatial learning deficits in adolescent children of alcoholics.

Spatial learning deficits in adolescent children of alcoholics.

Spatial learning deficits in adolescent children of alcoholics.

Relation of parental alcoholism to early adolescent substance use: a test of three mediating mechanisms.

The current study assessed 3 hypothesized mediating mechanisms underlying the relation between parental alcoholism and adolescent substance use. Using structural equation modeling, we analyzed data obtained from a large community sample of adolescent children of alcoholics and a demographically matched comparison group. Results suggested that parental alcoholism influenced adolescent substance use through stress and negative affect pathways, through decreased parental monitoring, and through increased temperamental emotionality (which was associated with heightened negative affect). Both negative affect and impaired parental monitoring were associated with adolescents' membership in a peer network that supported drug use behavior. The data did not support a link between parental alcoholism and temperamental sociability.