Children of Alcoholics: Breaking the Cycle

Abstract

“Please send me some pamphlets. I am twelve‐and‐a‐half years old. Please hurry. I can't stand it anymore. My father's drinking.”

Differences Among Adult COAs and Adult Non‐COAs on Levels of Self‐Esteem, Depression, and Anxiety

“…Identification of adult COAs was assessed by the Children of Alcoholics Screening Test (Jones, 1983). Of the participants, more than 70% were non-COAs, which is consistent with the national population estimates of adult COAs (Woodside, 1986).…”

Helping Children of Alcoholics

“…Because of the family secret, they dare not bring others home for fear of embarrassment and the ensuing shame and stigma of public exposure. 8 Frequently, children of alcoholics may be ill more often than other youngsters and visit the school nurse complaining of abdominal pain, headaches, tics, and nausea, all of which have no physical cause. 8 The exact cause of the illness may be difficult to pinpoint due to vagueness of symptoms.…”

Adult Children of Alcoholics: Implications for the Nursing Profession

“…It is known that ACOAs are more prone to chemical dependence than the general population (Goodwin, 1971;Sullivan, 1987;Woodside, 1986). Indeed, in one study of nurse alcoholics it was found that 59 percent of those surveyed were ACOAs (Stammer, 1988).…”