ALCOHOLISM

Alcoholism: Alcoholic Parents and Their Children

Kaitlin Black
5863246
HSF 1050 - 1
Debashis Dutta
November 24, 2014

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The role of a parent requires them to place their children as a priority, above all
else. The responsibilities in parenting necessitate a thoughtful, preventive, protective
approach from which the child can feel safe enough to explore their world and to grow.
However, when a parent is an alcoholic this obligation is hindered and interrupted by
the parents distraction and eventual dependency on a substance that becomes more
important than the function of child-rearing.
The purpose of this paper is to examine the impact of parental alcoholism on the
child. First the paper will explain what alcohol addiction is by defining, describing, and
looking at some statistics around alcoholism. Second, the paper will look at how the
ability to parent is affected by alcohol consumption and alcoholism. Next, the paper will
examine how being raised by an alcoholic parent can impose long term effects on
children. Following this review, the paper will then turn to the services available to
children of alcoholics and their families, and what could be done to improve these
services.
Literature Review
What is Alcoholism?
There are many terms associated with the unhealthy consumption of alcohol.
Excessive or problematic alcohol consumption is considered alcohol abuse, which is
characterized by symptoms such as repeated school, work or home problems due to

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drinking; continuing to drink despite alcohol-related difficulties; risking physical safety to

drink; and recurring trouble with the law, which often involves drunk driving or violent
behaviour (Wood, 2014, p. 1). Over time alcohol abuse can progress into alcoholism.
Funk & Wagnalls New World Encyclopedia (2014) states that alcoholism is a condition
characterized by an emotional and physical dependence on alcohol and an inability to
stop or limit drinking (p. 1). The term Alcohol Use Disorders (AUD) is often used to
combine both alcohol dependence and alcohol abuse. The Diagnostic and Statistical
Manual of Mental Disorders (DSM) describes AUD as a problematic pattern of alcohol
use that leads to clinically significant impairment or distress, characterized by fulfillment
of at least three of many criteria in a one year period. Some of these criteria are:
withdrawal symptoms, increased tolerance, failed efforts to control drinking, substantial
time spent obtaining or using alcohol or recovering from its effects, failure to fulfill major
obligations, and more (American Psychiatric Association [APA], 2013, p. 490). For the
purpose of this paper the terms alcoholism, alcohol abuse and alcohol use disorder
shall be used interchangeably.
The annual number of deaths related to excessive drinking are estimated at over
100,000 in the United States alone (Funk & Wagnalls New World Encyclopedia, 2014,
p. 2). Alcoholism, especially over long periods of time, has detrimental effects on
physical health. Central nervous system effects include cognitive deficits, severe
memory damage and deteriorating changes in the cerebellum (APA, 2014, p. 493).
Alcohol consumption has been linked to injury, chronic illness, and premature death
(Berends et al., 2012, p 1). It is a common issue; with an estimated 10 million
alcoholics living in the United States in 1990 (Shuker, 1990, p. 56).

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The negative effects of alcoholism do not end at the alcoholic. Alcoholism

causes social, emotional and economic disturbances in the lives of people surrounding
the alcoholic. It is estimated that each alcoholic seriously affects a minimum of five to
six other people (Strachan, 1982, p. 64); including but not limited to their spouse,
children, other family members, employers, and friends.
The course of alcoholism and who it affects has altered dramatically over time.
In the early 1970s only one in seven alcoholics were female. By 1982 that proportion
had increased to one female for every two male alcoholics. The age of the average
alcoholic appears to be decreasing at an alarming rate, from early fifties in 1960 to midthirties by the late 1980s (Strachan, 1982, p. 64). Alcoholics in the 1960s and 1970s
were thought to be older men. In todays society, alcoholism in females is more
predominant, as is alcoholism in younger adults. These facts prove that more
alcoholics today could be considered to be of child-rearing age.
Alcohol and Parenting
Nearly 20% of children in the United States grow up in alcoholic families
(Johnson, 2002, p. 371). The negative effect that alcoholism has on parenting is
profound. It has been argued that one of the most serious issues that the child welfare
system has faced in the last 20 years is parental alcohol or other drug use (Moore et al.,
2010, p. 2). Parental alcohol use is associated with some of the more serious
consequences of child maltreatment, such as removal of the child from the home
(Ammerman et al., 1999, p. 1225), making these children more likely to enter into care
and protection systems (Moore et al., 2010, p. 1).

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These alarming facts prove that alcohol consumption and alcohol abuse
negatively affect ones ability to parent. Substance use disorder has been shown to
lower frustration tolerance, increase anger reactivity, and lower inhibition of aggressive
impulses (Ammerman et al., 1999, p. 1226), all of which interfere greatly with parenting
judgement. According to Cermak, (1989), there are several characteristics that define a
healthy family, including but not limited to: safety, open communication, individualized
roles, continuity, and self-care (p. 56). These characteristics are not met in families
living with alcoholic parents.
Safety.
Parental alcoholism slowly takes away from, and eventually destroys a childs
sense of safety by causing emotional unavailability, loss of control in parent, failure to
protect children from hazards, and direct physical abuse. The emotional needs of
children with alcoholic parents often go unmet, as they are less likely to receive
necessary nurturing from an alcoholic parent (Ryan et al., 2006, p. 140). Parents who
are intoxicated often leave children unattended, and fail to protect children from
everyday hazards (Cermak, 1989, p. 58). This is especially concerning in homes with
young children. Perhaps the most detrimental effect of parental alcoholism is that it
puts the children at a higher risk of being exposed to physical and sexual abuse
(Johnson, 2002, p. 372). In fact, in one study, more than 30% of child abuse cases
involved alcoholic parents, and 60% of domestic violence cases have transpired when
the offender was under the influence of alcohol (Dube et al., 2001, p. 1627).
Clear roles and continuity.

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A healthy family needs clear, individualized roles. Role confusion, role reversal,
and distorted hierarchy in families have been associated with parental alcoholism
(Johnson, 2002, p. 371). Alcoholic families lack continuity, and children living in
alcoholic homes are often subjected to extreme household disorganization and
economic hardship (Ryan et al., 2006, p. 140). In addition, parents who are alcoholics
often fail to provide their children with adequate discipline and emotional support (Moore
et al., 2010, p. 190). It has been proven that longer periods of time an alcoholic parent
lives with the family predicts lower levels of family functioning (Johnson, 2002, p. 373).
Long Term Effects on Children
As stated earlier, alcoholic families lack consistency. For children of alcoholics,
the only certainty is uncertainty. The environment these children grow up in provides
them with no clear role model, no patterns of appropriate behaviour, no foundation for
developing self-esteem or respect for others, and no idea what normal looks like
(Ackerman, 1986, p. 175). This uncertainty and inconsistency can cause social and
emotional adjustment difficulties, and the effects can be witnessed well into adulthood.
Because of this, adult children of alcoholics (ACOAs) have less effective coping
strategies than non-ACOAs (Klostermann et al., 2011, p. 1162), and are more
susceptible to stress (Hall & Webster, 2007a, p. 425). Not only are they more
susceptible to stress, they tend to develop stress management techniques that increase
stress rather than minimize it (Langlois & Garner, 2013, p. 3).
Studies show that children with a family history of alcoholism are more likely to
abuse alcohol as adults (Ammerman et al., 1999; Colder et al., 1997; van der Zwaluw et

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al., 2008). In fact, children of alcoholics are four times more likely than non-COAs to
develop AUD. This is true even in cases where children were given up for adoption and
raised by adoptive parents who did not have the disorder (National Association for
Children of Alcoholics, 1998, p. 1). This proves that alcoholism is a genetic disorder
that runs in families. However, genetics only contribute to 40%-60% of the risk factor for
future alcoholism (APA, 2013, p. 494).
ACOAs are more likely to suffer from mental health disorders such as depression
and anxiety (Johnson, 2002, p. 373). This could be directly linked to ACOAs having a
higher likelihood of becoming alcoholics themselves, because depression is known to
be one of the risk factors for alcoholism (APA, 2013, p. 494).
Implications for Service
Available Services
Many services are available for families suffering the effects of parental
alcoholism. Support and treatment for both parents and children can be found in the
form of psychotherapy. One form of psychotherapy that is often used in treating
alcoholics is behavioural therapy. Behavioural therapy focuses on the concept that
abnormal behaviours are learned, and that people who behave abnormally have either
failed to learn coping skills, or have adapted defective skills (Bond, 2013, p. 325).
Behavioural therapy is used to teach new behaviours to replace faulty ones, or to
unlearn maladaptive behavioural patterns. It helps individuals to gain a better
understanding of themselves and their past, present and future. This theory supports
studies showing that children of alcoholics are more likely to become alcoholics based

ALCOHOLISM

on having learned the behaviour from their parents. Most psychotherapies are directed
solely at the alcoholic, or solely at the child or children involved.
Treating the Alcoholic.
There are several specialized addictions services targeted to treating alcoholics.
One, as explained earlier, is behavioural therapy. There are many forms of behavioural
therapy available to alcoholics, most of which aim to provide the alcoholic with new
social skills, coping mechanisms, and stress management skills (Roberts & Ogborne,
1999, p. 15).
Inpatient residential treatment facilities are also available, in which the
alcoholics lives at the centre for the duration of the treatment process, which may be
either short or long term. This allows alcoholic parents to focus solely on recovery
without any distractions. Outpatient treatment options are available as well, and allow
parents to continue to live in their homes while receiving treatment, usually in scheduled
sessions.
Alcoholics Anonymous (AA) is a self-help group available to alcoholics. They
offer a twelve step program which is spiritual in nature and is said to eliminate the
obsession to drink. AA provides an atmosphere in which group members support,
sponsor, and advocate for each other throughout the process of detoxification,
treatment and maintaining recovery (Alcoholics Anonymous, 2013, para. 2).

Although

AA is considered a self-help group, many formal treatment programs make participation

in AA a requirement (Roberts & Ogborne, 1999, p. 61). AA offers a wide range of

ALCOHOLISM

different groups, including groups for women only. A variation of AA is Al-Anon, which is
directed at supporting friends and families of alcoholics.
Services for the Child.
Self-help groups are also available for friends and family of alcoholics. Al-Anon
has groups specifically designed for ACOAs, in which the focus is gaining an
understanding of how growing up in an alcoholic home affects their current life situation.
Alateen is a group offered to teenagers affected by a family members drinking, and
allows for teenagers to relate to each other and talk freely with one another about their
experiences living with an alcoholic parent.
Many forms of counselling services, including behavioural therapies, are also
available to children of alcoholics. Behavioural therapy assists COAs in gaining an
understanding of the effect their parents alcoholism has on them, and to learn more
effective coping skills.
In some cases with parental alcoholism, child welfare services are required to
ensure the wellbeing and safety of the child. In worst cases, children will be removed
from the home and potentially placed into foster homes. COAs have been proven to
experience longer stays in foster care and lower rates of reunification than non-COAs
(ref 7, p. 95).
Critique of Services
Although there are many services and resources available to support and treat
alcoholics, few are directed specifically at alcoholic parents. The problem of substance

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10

abuse in parents cannot be solved using traditional prevention, intervention and

treatment solutions (Finkelstein, 1994, p. 9). Additional supports are often necessary,
including childcare and parenting support. Many studies have shown that the best way
to assist alcoholic families would be to offer some sort of family support centre
(Finkelstein, 1994; Ryan et al., 2006; Moore et al., 2010). These centres would provide
support services, connections to long-term individual and family counselling and
support, and would act as a coordinating point for other specialized services. Families
seeking support for parental alcoholism are required to seek out multiple different
services that have no connection to each other. There is a dire need for a more
integrated approach between services. Stronger relationships between organizations
would provide a more collective responsibility for supporting and treating the alcoholic
family (Moore et al., 2010, p. 8).
A more integrated approach to service would also be beneficial in recognizing
and referring children of alcoholics. Children who enter into child welfare services
should be screened for parental alcoholism, and subsequently referred to necessary
services. Similarly, children who seek support for coping with the effects of living with
an alcoholic parent should be screened for parental abuse and neglect, and also for
mental health issues such as depression and anxiety.
The long-term effects of parental alcoholism on children is worthy of plenty of
attention and research. The fact that many children who grow up in alcoholic homes
are likely to become depressed and become alcoholics themselves creates a vicious
cycle of mental health issues and alcoholism in families. For any hope of breaking this

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11

cycle, treatment of the alcoholic parent alone is not enough. It is necessary to provide
adequate counselling and support for the children involved, on a long term basis.
Younger COAs often have difficulty accessing formal support from services
because they do not meet eligibility criteria, or because their needs fall outside of the
agencys stated client group (Moore et al., 2010, p. 8). Although self-help groups are
available to teenagers with alcoholic parents, there is a great need for support groups
targeted at younger children affected by parental alcoholism.
Long term behavioural counselling for ACOAs is necessary to provide them with
a clear understanding of the effects that their parents alcoholism has had on them. This
would provide ACOAs with new coping skills and stress management techniques, and
could potentially reduce the risk of eventually becoming alcoholics themselves.
Conclusion
Alcoholism is a widespread issue affecting people all over the world. The
detrimental impact of alcoholism on parenting is profound. Parental alcoholism has
lasting negative effects on the child or children involved. These children are at a higher
risk of experiencing abuse and neglect, entering into child welfare services, suffering
from mental health issues such as depression, and developing faulty coping
mechanisms and stress-management techniques as adults. These factors combined
with genetic predisposition put these children at a much higher risk of eventually
becoming alcoholics themselves. This causes a vicious cycle of familial mental health
issues and depression passed down from generation to generation.

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In order to break this cycle, a re-evaluation of all services is necessary. Alcoholic

families would benefit from a more integrated approach that would allow both parents
and children access to multiple resources. More communication between agencies is
also necessary to better serve the children and parents involved. Treating the alcoholic
and providing short-term counselling to the children is not sufficient, as the effects on
children last well into adulthood. Adequate counselling provided by agencies
specializing in supporting ACOAs could prove to be beneficial. Providing ACOAs with
awareness of the effects their parents alcoholism has had on them would give them a
better understanding of themselves, and allow them to seek the help they need to
reverse some of these effects. This could decrease the likelihood that they would
eventually become alcoholics themselves, and prevent them from exposing their
children to parental alcoholism, thus potentially breaking the cycle of alcoholism in
families.

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13

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