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Aspects of a Preventive Approach to Support Children of Alcoholics
Author(s) -
Christensen Else
Publication year - 1997
Publication title -
child abuse review
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 0.569
H-Index - 41
eISSN - 1099-0852
pISSN - 0952-9136
DOI - 10.1002/(sici)1099-0852(199703)6:1<24::aid-car279>3.0.co;2-z
Subject(s) - psychology , institution , point (geometry) , psychiatry , developmental psychology , political science , law , geometry , mathematics
Thirty‐two children aged 5–16 years and their parents were interviewed about what it is like to be a child in a family where one or both parents have alcohol problems. The study focuses on the child and aims to reach a description which comes as close as possible to the world seen through the child's eyes. The study shows that the parents imagine that the children do not know about their alcohol abuse and at the same time documents that the children are aware of it. The children try to stop their parents from drinking by telling them to stop. When this does not work the children withdraw. They do not talk about the problems outside the family as they are afraid they will be rejected by society. The children make it clear that it is important for children in families with alcoholism to receive attention. The best place to get attention and help is, from the children's point of view, the treatment institution where the parents get help. The reasons for this are the importance to the children that those helping them should be knowledgeable about alcoholism and for the children to be sure the parents will be helped as well. © 1997 by John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.