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Adult Children of Alcoholics and Psychological Distress
Author(s) -
Kashubeck Susan
Publication year - 1994
Publication title -
journal of counseling and development
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 0.805
H-Index - 78
eISSN - 1556-6676
pISSN - 0748-9633
DOI - 10.1002/j.1556-6676.1994.tb00988.x
Subject(s) - psychological distress , hardiness (plants) , psychology , distress , clinical psychology , social support , mental health , psychiatry , psychotherapist , cultivar , horticulture , biology
In this study, the author investigated the relationship between parental alcoholism and psychological distress and the mediating effects of social support and hardiness. The sample (N = 228 college students) consisted of n = 62 adult children of alcoholics (ACAs) and n = 166 non‐ACAs. Data analysis indicated that parental alcoholism was positively related to psychological distress. Consistent with expectations, higher levels of social support and hardiness were associated with lower levels of psychological distress. No mediating effects of social support and hardiness, however, were found. Implications for current theories and therapeutic approaches that regard ACAs as being at increased risk for psychological distress are discussed.