Examination of Protective Factors that Promote Resilience in Adult Children of Alcoholics Impacted by Negative Life Experiences

The negative impact of parental alcohol abuse on children has been well documented in previous literature. Therefore, research over the past decade has been focused on determining protective factors associated with being raised by a parent who abuses alcohol. This research was initiated due to the wide variety of outcomes reported by children who grew up in homes marked by parental alcohol abuse. Expanding upon this research, the present study aimed to examine whether certain familial factors (i.e., family composition, family structure, family environment and interaction between parent & child gender) are protective for adult children who were raised in a home with a parent(s) who abused alcohol. Participants were recruited from a college campus and screened using the Children of Alcoholics Screening Test (CAST). All participants also completed measures related to family satisfaction, family cohesion and attachment. The total sample of participants included 223 college students. It was hypothesized that those children who were raised by two parents who abused alcohol would be more likely to experience a greater number of negative experiences. Results showed support for this hypothesis, specifically in regards to the child\u27s attachment to their father. Additionally, it was hypothesized that familial support would be correlated with familial factors. Results revealed that family satisfaction and attachment were positively correlated. Though not all hypotheses were supported, results have important clinical applications. However, it is clear that further research in this area is needed