It is a well-documented fact that in the United States more than eight million children have lived “with at least one parent who abused or was dependent on alcohol or an illicit drug during the past year” (U.S. Department of Health and Human Services, 2014). Despite the immensity of this social problem, the continued exposure of children to parental substance abuse has not declined. Without question, substance abuse severely affects childhood development and predisposes both the adolescent and the adult to many potential psychological and physical difficulties, which affects society as a whole (Kornblum & Julian, 2011). As such, this paper addresses some of the effects that this type of exposure has on children during. In this paper, the ‘Family Disease Model’ is addressed, and the work ends with a discussion on the social and clinical implications of substance abuse on childhood development.
Family Disease Model
Each member of a family affects the other family members, which influences the whole “unit.” In this way, it becomes easy to deduce that parental substance abuse plays a significant role in the development of children, others within the family, and how that is expressed in society. The work done by O’Farrell and Fals-Stewart (1999) provides an excellent resource for clarifying the Family Disease Model. Based on the notion that alcoholism/substance abuse is a disease, the Family Disease Model proposes that “alcohol use disorders [and other substance disorders as well] are not only diseases affecting an individual, they affect other family members, as well” (O’Farrell & Fals-Stewart, 1999, p. 288). While it is evident that one or more family members may be “diseased” with substance abuse, the disease also affects other family members, albeit somewhat differently. Some of the main symptoms are that of “anxiety, enmeshment and other dysfunctional relationships, low self-esteem, and “co-dependence” (O’Farrell & Fals-Stewart, 1999). Co-dependence itself has also been considered a disease that goes hand in hand with substance abuse and often includes the following components: issues about control, perfectionism, “frozen” feelings/emotional blunting, external referencing, and engaging in “enabling” behaviors (behaviors that perpetuate another person’s substance use- covering for their drinking or drug use) (O’Farrell & Fals-Stewart, 1999)
Clearly, utilizing this type of coping mechanism to deal with another family member’s “disease” is bound to have powerfully negative consequences for all within the environment, most of all children who lack the capability of defense and differentiation that many adults use to protect themselves in this type of a system. Ultimately, this type of “system” or disease is spread to the wider culture, creating ill health in society (Kornblum & Julian, 2011).
Recovery treatment programs such as Alcoholics Anonymous (A.A.) and Al-Anon/Alateen (for non-using household members) also views alcoholism/substance abuse as a family disease. Al-Anon, first founded in 1951 (Al-Anon Family Groups, 2011-2012), is geared towards helping family and friends recover from the devastating effects of someone else’s drinking/substance abuse. A.A. and Al-Anon both regard the disease of substance abuse/alcoholism as a family illness, which affects all family members, as well as the larger culture (Al-Anon Family Groups, 2011-2012).
As has been examined in this paper so far, the effects of parental substance abuse on children are known to create considerable social implications. While much that has been discussed appears to already fall within these categories, there is an array of literature available, which looks more deeply at widespread phenomena connected to the effects of parental substance abuse on children, including the social implications of these behaviors.
Social implications
Although a great number of social repercussions surrounding the effects of parental substance abuse exist, some of the most prevalent are those of: a limited social life, the greater possibility that adolescents and adults themselves become substance abusers (thereby continuing the cycle of dysfunction), the personal expenditure of resources and energy needed to recover from the effects of a dysfunction childhood (if they choose to do so), and having less to contribute to society, given a compromised level of functioning. The effects of a limited social life are addressed below.
In keeping with the research conducted by the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services (2014), children who experience parental substance abuse tend to be at risk for neglect. As such, children who have not been able to form secure attachments with their primary care givers are susceptible to: being mistrustful of others, less willing to learn from adults, have difficulty understanding the emotions of others, regulating their own emotions, or forming and maintaining relationships with others. Additionally, these children often have a limited ability to feel remorse or empathy, demonstrate a lack of confidence or social skills that could hinder them from being successful in school, work, and relationships, and demonstrate impaired social cognition (the awareness of oneself in relation to others as well as of others’) (U.S. Department of Health and Human Services, 2014).
Furthermore, being as there is a social stigma surrounding parental abuse; children may feel embarrassed by their caregivers, or need to fulfill the role of the caregiver themselves, depriving them of a healthful childhood (U.S. Department of Health and Human Services, 2014). This could serve to isolate a child (from parents as well as from friends) causing a pattern of unhealthy “negative self-concepts, fearfulness, and loneliness” (Fisher & Harrison, 2000). When these beliefs are taken out into the larger society, others are also affected by this negativity. Additional support for these implications exists in the work of Hutchinson (2010), who explains that the common secrecy and denial surrounding parental substance abuse often cuts the family off from extended family and community support, adding to a child’s mistrust of others and society as a whole (Hutchinson, 2010). These types of difficulties often set children up for less fulfilling and functional relationships later in life, and as a result detract from the health of society as a whole.
Undeniably, there is a high possibility that those who have been affected by parental substance abuse are that much more likely to become substance abusers themselves (U.S. Department of Health and Human Services, 2014). The causes related to this phenomenon are many; nevertheless, the main reasons behind the transmission of the “disease” of substance abuse consist of a genetic predisposition to substance abuse, and learned behaviors, inadvertently mistaken as a solution to coping with the negative effects of having experienced parental substance abuse (U.S. Department of Health and Human Services, 2014). Ultimately, this may lead to sickness (on all levels), jails, institutionalism, and even death – without effective intervention.
Outside of these harmful consequences of having experienced parental substance abuse in childhood, there is a greater chance that these individuals will pass the “disease” on to their children, if not those around them who are not tied to the abuser genetically (U.S. Department of Health and Human Services, 2014). This would allow for the continuing existence of destructive behavioral patterns without necessarily leading to jail, institutionalization, or even death (although the possibility for all three continues to exist). In any scenario, this “diseased” state tends to affect all levels of an individual: psychological, emotional, and physical, as well as affect all levels of societal functioning (Fisher & Harrison, 2000).
In the event that an individual, having experienced the effects of parental substance abuse, chooses to seek help, yet does have the resources to realize their hopes, the cost to society can be great. Likewise, if such an individual does not wish to seek help, yet is experiencing negative debilitating consequences from growing up in an unhealthy environment, the cost to society can be equally great, given that many in this type of situation do not have the resources to care for their own psychological, emotional, and/or physical health. As an additional consequence beyond the fiscal cost to society, there also exists a much greater probability that such an individual may lack in contributing meaningfully to society in other ways. This can be seen in the reduced ability to contribute to society economically and socially (Fisher & Harrison, 2000).
Another issue to consider is that behavior problems are often seen in great evidence in individuals having experienced parental substance abuse. Among all of the problems created from living under these types of harmful conditions, it has been pointed out “Adults with a history of parental substance use disorders were significantly more likely to be divorced” (Pagano et al., 2007). This clearly indicates that behavioral problems may be more prevalent here than what may be seen in those coming from other, less damaging childhood situations. Ultimately, broken homes have the capacity to negatively impact both children personally, and society as a whole (Kornblum & Julian, 2011).
Last, to consider in the implications of parental substance abuse is that of low academic achievement (U.S. Department of Health and Human Services, 2014). It has also been evidenced by Kopera et al., (2014) that children who have been exposed to substance abusers tend to experience limited academic achievement (Kopera et al., 2014). This claim has been demonstrated by Pagano, et al. (2007) in their claim that adults who have experienced parental substance abuse in their childhoods are much more likely to have only a high school level of education, rather than anything more extensive. Without question, the effects of parental substance abuse on children have been shown to carry considerable personal and social implications. Parental substance abuse can, and does, create a wide range of difficulties for the survivor, as well as for society.
Conclusion
In sum, whether or not this topic of the social implications for parental substance abuse addresses a limited social life, the greater possibility that adolescents and adults themselves become substance abusers (continuing the cycle of dysfunction), the personal/societal expenditure of resources and energy needed to recover from the effects of a dysfunction childhood (whether or not they do so willingly), and having less to contribute to society, there are no known benefits to this type of destructive behavior. This paper, having conducted an in-depth study on the effects of parental substance abuse on children, has brought up several important issues. An analysis of the theoretical perspective, the “Family Disease Model,” was utilized in this work. This research contributes to the continued understanding of the long-term effects that parental substance abuse can have on children, and consequently society as a whole. Yet, through the use of resources such as treatment programs, therapy, Alcoholics Anonymous (A.A.) and Al-Anon/Alateen, and any other tool available, there is hope that the effects of substance abuse on children can be lessened, creating a healthier society for all.
- Al-Anon Family Groups (2011-2012). Al-Anon at a Glance. Retrieved from: http://www.al-anon.alateen.org/for-professionals/al-anon-at-a-glance
- Fisher, G. & Harrison, T. (2000). Substance abuse: Information for school counselors, social workers, therapists, and counselors, 2nd edition. Boston: Allyn & Bacon.
- Hutchinson, E. (2010). Dimensions of Human Behavior. Sage Publications, Inc; Fourth Edition.
- Kopera, M., Glass, J. M., Heitzeg, M. M., Wojnar, M., Puttler, L. I., & Zucker, R. A. (2014). Theory of mind among young adult children from alcoholic families. Journal of studies on alcohol and drugs, 75(5), 889-894.
- Kornblum, W. & Julian, J. (2011). Social Problems (14th edition). Pearson.
- O’Farrell, T., and Fals-Stewart, W. (1999). Treatment models and methods: Family models. In McCrady, B. and Epstein, E. Addictions: A comprehensive guidebook. New York: Oxford University Press.
- Pagano M., Rende, R., Rodriguez, B., Hargraves, E., Moskowitz, A., and Keller, M. (2007).Impact of parental history of substance use disorders on the clinical course of anxiety disorders. Substance Abuse Treatment and Prevention Policy; 2: 13-18.
- U.S. Department of Health and Human Services (2014). Protecting Children in Families Affected by Substance Use Disorders. Administration for Children and Families Administration on Children, Youth and Families. Children’s Bureau Office on Child Abuse and Neglect. ICF International. Retrieved from: https://www.childwelfare.gov/pubs/usermanuals/substanceuse/chapterthree.cfm#childhood
