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Uncovering Strengths of Children of Alcoholic Parents

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Abstract

Being a child of an alcoholic (COA) is neither a diagnosis nor a psychosocial death sentence. Neither alcoholic families nor COAs are monolithic. A variety of factors converge in developmental trajectories resulting in diverse individual outcomes. Supportive relationships with non-substance using parents and siblings and appropriate levels of parentification all may enable a significant proportion of COAs to enjoy high self-esteem, lack of problematic substance use, and good adaptive capability. Therapists and clients should refrain from looking at COAs through a deficit framework and instead should look for evidence of relational resilience in alcoholic families of origin. Such strengths-based assessments will increase therapeutic leverage with COAs seeking treatment for a range of presenting problems.

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  1. Youth Emergency Services for Indianapolis, IN

    John P. Walker (Program Director)

  2. Department of Family and Child Ecology, Michigan State University, USA

    Robert E. Lee (Clinical director of the doctoral marital and family therapy specialization)

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Walker, J.P., Lee, R.E. Uncovering Strengths of Children of Alcoholic Parents. Contemporary Family Therapy 20, 521–538 (1998). https://doi.org/10.1023/A:1021684317493

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