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Children of alcoholics:the relationship between paternal pattern of drinking and children’s experience of family

University of British Columbia

This study examined the relationship between fathers’ pattern of drinking and children’s perceptions of family functioning. The study included 110 children, aged 9-20, who lived in the homes of, or were closely connected to, their alcohol-involved families. The pattern of fathers’ drinking (irregular versus steady) was determined, and standardized instruments were employed to measure central aspects of family life, including, parent-child communication; family adaptability and cohesion; family environment; family social support; and family satisfaction. A multivariate analysis of covariance was performed on the data, with age as a covariate, to determine if significant differences existed between the two groups of children. A multiple regression analysis then was conducted to determine which factors accounted for the most variability between children of irregular drinking homes and children of steady drinking homes. The differences between the groups were striking, with children of irregular drinking homes reporting significantly less togetherness, organization, cohesion, satisfaction, social support and communication; and significantly more chaos, conflict and control than children in steady drinking homes. Children’s experience of family adaptability, control, expressiveness and satisfaction were the variables that accounted for most of the differences between these two subtypes of alcoholic families.

Thesis/Dissertation

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2009-02-24

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http://hdl.handle.net/2429/4980

Counselling Psychology

University of British Columbia

UBCV

DSpace