title: Risk status of adolescent children of problem-drinking parents.
abstract: These studies assessed the risk status of children of untreated alcoholics. In Study 1, a cross-sectional survey of 208 high school students identified 18% as having serious concern about their parents' drinking. In Study 2, 32 children of problem-drinking parents and 39 others who participated in self-help groups were surveyed. Children of problem-drinking parents were more at risk of depression, low self-esteem, and heavy drinking than their peers in the general high school population. Within self-help groups, however, children's symptomatology was not related to their parents' drinking status. The results support the need for preventive intervention for children of problem-drinking parents and for developing strategies for improving the participation rate of such children in the intervention programs that are available.
authors.affiliation: Program for Prevention Research, Arizona State University, Tempe 85287-2502.
authors.forename: M W
authors.initials: MW
authors.lastname: Roosa
authors.forename: I N
authors.initials: IN
authors.lastname: Sandler
authors.forename: J
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Beals
authors.forename: J L
authors.initials: JL
authors.lastname: Short
mesh_terms: D000223:Adaptation, Psychological; D000293:Adolescent; D000428:Alcohol Drinking / Q000523:psychology; D000437:Alcoholism / Q000235:genetics / Q000523:psychology*; D005191:Family Characteristics; D005260:Female; D005783:Gender Identity; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D010287:Parent-Child Relations; D012307:Risk Factors; D012923:Social Class