Over the last century, an extensive empirical literature has evolved examining the psychosocial adjustment ofChildren of Alcoholics (i.e., COAs). In general, these investigations have concluded that COAs are at heightened riskfor a host of emotional and behavioral problems compared to children of nonalcoholic parents. Conversely, researchexamining the psychosocial functioning of children whose parents primarily abuse drugs other than alcohol, oftenreferred to as Children of Substance Abusers (i.e., COSAs), is far less evolved than the COA literature. Althoughresults of available studies suggest COSAs are at heightened risk for psychological, social, and behavioral problems, itis far less clear what risk and protective factors may be associated with these observed adjustment problems. To date, the vast majority of investigations of COSAs have focused on children of drug-abusing mothers.Although many leading investigative teams have called for research examining psychosocial adjustment of childrenwith drug-abusing fathers, they have noted consistently efforts to obtain data from such families have been fraught withsubstantial logistic difficulties. Drug abuse by fathers, with its broad implications for the family environment (e.g., poorparenting, parental conflict, stressful home life) and for the child (e.g., genetic transmission of characteristics that mayincrease vulnerability), is likely to be an important risk factor for psychosocial maladjustment of their custodialchildren. Thus, recruitment and methodological barriers notwithstanding, the fact that the effects of paternal drugmisuse on their children have been substantially understudied represents a serious gap in the empirical literature. The primary aim of the proposed 5-year study is to examine the psychosocial adjustment of preadolescentcustodial children (i.e., 8-12 years of age) who live in two-parent homes with drug-abusing fathers andnonsubstance-abusing mothers (N = 150). To provide a comparative context, these children and their families will becompared to demographically matched children from homes with alcoholic fathers and nonsubstance-abusing mothers(N = 150) and from homes with nonsubstance-abusing parents (N = 150). Additionally, we will be examining severalmediating risk factors (e.g., parenting behavior, child temperament, interparental conflict) and protective factors (e.g.,children's cognitive ability, social support) that may partially or fully explain differences among the children fromhomes with either a drug-abusing, alcoholic, and nonsubstance-abusing father. Changes in risk and protective factors,as well as children's adjustment, will be evaluated during the course of three annual waves of data collection.
| Kelley, Michelle L; Klostermann, Keith; Doane, Ashley N et al. (2010) The Case for Examining and Treating the Combined Effects of Parental Drug Use and Interparental Violence on Children in their Homes. Aggress Violent Behav 15:76-82 |
| Morgan-Lopez, Antonio A; Fals-Stewart, William (2008) Analyzing data from open enrollment groups: current considerations and future directions. J Subst Abuse Treat 35:36-40 |
