PARENTAL DISSATISFACTION WITH SONS IN SUBSTANCE-ABUSING FAMILIES - RELATIONSHIP TO CHILD AND PARENT DYSFUNCTION

Considerable attention has focused on the role of family dysfunction i n the development of adolescents substance abuse, particularly in fami lies where a parent has a history of alcohol and drug abuse. This stud y examined parental reports of dissatisfaction with 41 boys (ages 10-1 2) of fathers with a history of substance abuse (SA+) and 68 boys of f athers without such a history (SA-). Higher dissatisfaction ratings by both mothers and fathers were found in the SA+ group in contrast to t he SA- group. Both child externalizing behavior problems and parental personality characteristics were correlated with dissatisfaction. Step wise regression analysis revealed that father's negative affectivity, followed by externalizing symptoms in the boys, were most predictive o f dissatisfaction in both mothers and fathers. The implications of the se results for an understanding of the adverse family context of subst ance abuse are discussed.