Parental Alcohol Problems and Children's Behavior & Psychosocial Characteristics

OBJECTIVES: Alcohol problems of parents have an influence on not only their psychological problems but also on their children's psychosocial adaptation. The purpose of this study was to compare the emotional and behavioral problems, including school bullying and social skills, between children of alcoholics (COAs) and children of non-alcoholics (non-COAs). METHODS: We recruited 4th grade children (n=741) from 7 primary schools in Seoul and their parents as subjects. The self-rated psychiatric symptoms were assessed with the Korean version of the Children of Alcoholics Screening Test (CAST-K), the Children's Depression Inventory (CDI), the Rosenberg's Self-esteem Scale (RSES), the School Bullying Scale, the Social Skill Rating Scale and the Korean version of Alcohol Expectancy Questionnaire-Adolescent (AEQ-A). The Attention-deficit Hyperactivity Disorder Rating Scale-IV (ARS) was completed by the parents. RESULTS: 518 children were non-COAs and 223 were COAs. The COAs showed higher CDI and ARS-IV scores and lower RSES scores than the non-COAs. Especially, the COAs also showed higher school bullying scale scores and lower cooperative scale scores on the social skill rating scales. But there was no difference of alcohol expectancy between the COAs and non-COAs. CONCLUSION: It was plausible that the COAs had more behavioral & psychosocial problems than the non-COAs among the school aged children. It is important to identify and intervene to solve the problems of peer relationships of school age COAs in order to prevent victimization by bullying and to improve psychosocial adaptation.

Psychiatric Approach toward Children of Alcoholics(COAs) / 신경정신의학

This article reviewed the literature covering the last 30 years on the psychopathology, variable risk factors and protective factors associated with children of alcoholics (COAs). COAs can present with externalizing problems, such as attention deficit hyperactivity (ADHD), oppositional defiant disorder (ODD), and conduct disorder (CD), and internalizing problems, such as depression and anxiety. COAs also can show with difficulties in intelligence, learning, language, and temperament. All COAs, however, are not associated with psychopathology and cognitive problems and future alcohol and substance related disorder. Although investigators agree that COAs are at higher risk for developing psychiatric illness and alcohol use disorders than children of non-alcoholics, problems with alcohol and psychopathology are not an inevitable consequence of COAs status. Recent research has identified numerous biological, psychological, and social factors associated with a family history of alcoholism that may play a role in determining COAs' outcome. The risk factors and protective factors associated with COAs have been used as a foundation for preventive and treatment intervention. Researcher and clinician should understand how COAs cope to parental alcoholism. Program for COAs should include the basic components of information, problem- and emotion-focused coping skills, and social and emotional support. School setting are most common intervention sites, but family and broad-based community programs also have shown promise in COAs prevention. More rigorous studies are needed to understand better the complex ways children with parental alcoholism.

Familial Characteristics of Internet Overuse Adolescents / 신경정신의학

OBJECTIVES: The objective of this study is to clarify the family environments, parent-adolescent communication, family violence, parental conflict, parental alcohol drinking that contribute to internet use of adolescent. METHODS : Subjects were middle and high school students in Gang-seo gu, Seoul city (N=998). Self-rating questionnaire included demographic data, internet addiction scale, family adaptability cohesion evaluation scale III, parent-adolescent communication inventory, conflict tactics scales 2 and children of alcoholics screening test. RESULTS : 1) There were statistically significant differences in CAST, family violence, communication between family members and family adaptability cohesion scale between addicted group and non-addicted group. 2) Most significantly correlated variants for internet addiction were problematic communication of parents and psychological aggression. 3) Multiple regression analysis showed that problematic communication of parents, psychological aggression and CAST could explain 10.1% of internet addictions. CONCLUSION : This study was designed specifically to focus on the various domains of adolescents' family environment that may influence the overuse of internet. It proved that moderate level of adaptability, cohesion and open communication in a parentchild relationship can prevent the overuse of internet. On the other hand, aggressive language spoken between the two parents and their alcohol abuse can aggravate the overuse of internet.