A CONFLUENT MODEL OF OUTCOMES FOR ADULT CHILDREN OF ALCOHOLICS - IMPLICATIONS FOR ASSESSMENT, TREATMENT, AND RESEARCH

Current conceptions of adult children of alcoholics do not account for recent suggestions that characteristics used to describe them are not valid. These conceptions do not explain the documented heterogeneity with regard to life and therapeutic outcomes. In this paper, an altern ative model of outcomes is formulated. This model is based on self-sch ema theory, behavioral self-regulation and self-efficacy, the influenc es of the ''ecological environment,'' and objective signs and subjecti ve symptoms of dysfunction. It is argued that the model provides a bet ter ''fit'' to the empirical data concerning outcomes and carries impl ications for assessment, treatment, and research.