Characteristics of children with alcoholic fathers.

Abstract

For years, researchers have debated whether parental alcoholism has an effect on the children living in the home. To date, there has been contradictory evidence found concerning cognitive skills, self-esteem levels, behavioral problems and psychological problems between children of alcoholic parents and children of non-alcoholic parents. In studying the stage theory of Erickson, the environmental perception theory of Adler, and the progression of alcoholism theory of Jackson, it is logical to surmise that this population would develop problems. Thirty-two children with alcoholic fathers and 32 matched children from non-alcoholic homes completed three measures--thePersonality Inventory for Children, the Culture Free Self Esteem Inventory, and the Child and Adolescent Profile. Paired sample t-tests, independent samples t-tests, and ANOVAs were used to determine whether differences existed in the above four areas. Comparative analyses supported the following conclusions: (1) children of alcoholic fathers are as bright as those in non-alcoholic homes, but are far less effective in schools; (2) compared with their normal peers, such children suffer from low self-esteem, at home, at school and in society; (3) as a group, children of alcoholic fathers are poorly adjusted, being hostile, dependent and school delinquent, with poor social skills and poor peer relations; (4) as a group, such children suffer from depression, somatic complaints, withdrawal and psychotic thoughts; (5) the families of the two groups did not differ in their willingness to reveal information about their families; (6) there are no age or sex differences with regard to the sequelae of paternal alcoholism, although there is some evidence which reflects an interactive effect only; and, (7) children of alcoholics who are from a lower socio-economic status either stayed the same or got better, whereas the children of alcoholics from a higher socio-economic status deteriorated with age in terms of impulse control, general adjustment, delinquency and hostility.