Vulnerability to alcoholism: the role of parental absence and psychiatric distress

ABSTRACT

Parental absence during critical developmental years and antecedent psychiatric disorder may be important vulnerability factors for the development of alcoholism. To explore these possibilities 52 male and one female acohol dependent patients diagnosed according to the DSM-IIIR criteria were compared with 20 male controls matched for age, marital status, and employment type. Parental absence through death, separation, divorce, working abroad, and gross neglect or abuse was studied for the first 15 years of the subject's life. Absence of the father was found to be significantly associated with the later development of alcoholism. It was detected in 50.9% of alcohol dependent subjects compared to 15% of controls. Psychiatric morbidity was evaluated through individual administration of the Revised Self-Report Symptom Inventory, SCL-90-R [Derogatis, 1975]. Alcoholics were found to experience significantly higher levels of psychiatric symptoms than controls. Significant reducations in psychopathology, and improvement in adaptive functioning take place after participation in Alcoholics Anonymous [AA] group therapy. The favourable influence resulting from AA involvement may be direct on core symptoms or indirect through the promotion and maintenance of the abstinent state