Young adult offspring of parents with drinking problems: a study of childhood family cohesion using simple family diagrams

Abstract

Aims To explore, through the use of simple family diagrams constructed during personal interviews, the childhood families of young adult ‘offspring’ of parents with drinking problems and to compare them with those of nonproblem‐drinking parents (‘comparisons’).

Design Cross‐sectional interview.

Participants Fifty ‘offspring’ and 50 ‘comparisons’, aged between 16 and 35 years matched by sex and number of siblings.

Data Quantitative data obtained through assigning values to bonds drawn on family diagrams, during semistructured interviews.

Findings As predicted, ‘offspring’ diagrams indicated significantly less positive bonds between mother and father, between self and problem‐drinking parent, and in the family as a whole; and no difference in terms of bonds between self and nonproblem‐drinking parent. There were also significant differences, not predicted, with regard to bonds between siblings, which were less positive in the diagrams of ‘offspring’. Distributions of key variables and example families suggested that considerable diversity exists in families that contain parental problem drinking.

Conclusions Simple, easily obtainable family diagrams constructed in young adulthood may serve to encapsulate a considerable amount of data regarding childhood family relationships and cohesion. Families of offspring of parents with drinking problems may be comparatively deficient in positive aspects of family cohesion, although relationships with the nonproblem‐drinking parent are mostly well preserved. One new finding that requires replication is that relationships between siblings, rather than receiving compensatory strengthening, are often adversely affected by having a parent with a drinking problem.

• alcohol
• family
• childhood