Children's health and child-parent relationships as predictors of problem-drinking mothers' and fathers' long-term adaptation

This study examined the extent to which children's health status and child- parent relationships affected the severity of problem-drinking parents' alc ohol use disorders, as well as the parents' psychological states and marita l stressors and resources. These issues were examined using data from an 8- year study of problem-drinking women and men. Generally over the 8-year per iod the children of alcoholic mothers and fathers were comparable on their health status and relationships with their parents. The severity of mothers ' and fathers' drinking problems were also generally comparable over this p eriod Better children's health and child-parent relationships at baseline a nd 1- and 3-year follow-ups were consistent predictors of mothers' reduced drinking and better psychological states on the subsequent follow-ups. Asso ciations between children's functioning and fathers' adaptation were few an d inconsistent. The results support the possibility that an undesirable cyc le might be established in which maternal drinking and children's dysfuncti on coexist in an ever worsening relationship relationship.