A psychotherapeutic approach to treatment of a population at high risk for alcoholism: adult children of alcoholics.
It is estimated that there are between 25 and 28 million children of alcoholic parent(s) in the United States today. These individuals are at high risk for development of intrapsychic, interpersonal, and behavioural disorder, ie, developing alcoholism (40-60 per cent), becoming involved with an alcoholic (co-alcoholism), feeling a consistent sense of personal inadequacy or an inability to develop satisfying mutually supportive relationships. Major cognitive and emotional deficits appear to exist. Adult children of alcoholics who often experience many years of less-than-fruitful therapy report better results when alcoholic family issues have been adequately addressed. Developmental, existential and systems approaches may be well utilized, as well as non-verbal modalities, in treatment of adult children of alcoholics. Assessment, diagnosis and treatment issues particular to this population will be discussed as well as methods of working with specific barriers exhibited by children of alcoholics in the therapy setting. Implications of treatment will be discussed in relation to primary alcoholism prevention, relapse prevention and the effectiveness of alcoholism treatment programme staff.
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D000328:Adult; D000437:Alcoholism / Q000517:prevention & control*; D005190:Family; D005192:Family Health; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D011613:Psychotherapy / Q000379:methods*; D012307:Risk Factors