Characteristics of adult children of alcoholics.
Ninety-seven adult children of alcoholics (ACOAs), 36 adults with dysfunctional family histories, and 41 adults without identified dysfunctional family histories were compared on self-reports of 20 adult characteristics. Significant differences among the groups were found on 4 of the characteristics, with the ACOA group showing the highest frequency of occurrence on 17 of them. No differences due to gender of the alcoholic parent were found, and there was no group by gender interaction. The results suggested that the clinical characteristics attributed to ACOAs may have some empirical validity but the ACOAs seem fairly similar to adults with other types of dysfunctional family histories.
Fisher
G L
GL
University of Nevada, Reno 89557.
Jenkins
S J
SJ
Harrison
T C
TC
Jesch
K
K
D000223:Adaptation, Psychological; D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D000437:Alcoholism / Q000523:psychology*; D001601:Bereavement; D002648:Child; D002649:Child Abuse / Q000523:psychology; D002650:Child Abuse, Sexual / Q000523:psychology; D016241:Child of Impaired Parents / Q000523:psychology*; D004243:Divorce / Q000523:psychology; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008016:Life Change Events; D008297:Male; D010553:Personality Development; D010555:Personality Inventory