NCJ Number
194723
Journal
Substance Use & Misuse Volume: 37 Issue: 1 Dated: January 2002 Pages: 65-87
Date Published
2002
Length
23 pages
Annotation
This Russian study examined whether parental use of alcohol later influenced their adult children's alcohol use. Differences in alcohol use were examined for gender, family status, and family interactions.
Abstract
This study used data from a sample of 89 adult children and their married or cohabiting parents in Moscow, Russia. The study was undertaken because similar research in the United States had suggested that there was evidence of a link between alcoholism in parents and their children. There were few similar studies in Russia. The authors proposed five main hypotheses. First, they suggested that the frequency and quantity of parents' alcohol use positively influenced their adult children's use. Second, adult children who were married were less likely to abuse alcohol despite their parents use. Third, a high degree of conflict in the family of origin increased the chances that adult children would use alcohol. Fourth, gender differences were apparent in the transmission of alcohol use patterns. Finally, gender moderated the influence of family status and family interactions on adult children's alcohol use. The findings indicated that first, parents' use of alcohol and family status and interaction patterns significantly influenced the heavy drinking patterns of adult children. Second, gender did moderate a family's influence on alcohol use. Although mothers tended to drink more moderately than fathers in this study, the mothers' alcohol use presented a strong positive influence on both daughters' and sons' drinking patterns. By comparison, the alcohol use of fathers positively influenced only the drinking patterns of their sons. However, in terms of the effects of family interactions on adult children's use of alcohol, a fathers' abusive behavior toward family members seemed to increase the alcohol use of their adult children, especially their daughters. The authors note that their findings, while limited in certain respects, offer insight into the processes that place Russian children at risk for alcohol abuse problems. 6 Tables, 52 references