Page 50 - Petelin Ana. Ur. 2022. Zdravje otrok in mladostnikov / Health of children and adolescents. Proceedings. Koper: Založba Univerze na Primorskem/University of Primorska Press
P. 50
avje otrok in mladostnikov | health of children and adolescents 50 of assistance, such as providing a safe space for the child, by enabling
support from the environment outside the family (school environment,
NGOs, local community).
Keywords: alcohol addiction, children from families affected by alcohol
addiction, psychosocial consequences, protective factors
Introduction
Alcohol addiction is a disease that causes an irresistible craving for alcohol, de-
spite the fact that it harms both the individual and his loved ones. It makes it
hard for an individual to function on a daily basis and fulfill various roles, such
as the role of a partner, parent, employee, etc. (Perko, 2011). Addiction requires
the attention of all family members, which makes it a family disease (Goeke,
2017). The consequences affect partners and children, which means that deal-
ing with an individual’s addiction makes it crucial to also deal with all close
relatives involved. Children are the ones who are often overlooked in this re-
gard. There is a lack of knowledge in fields where working with children from
such families is required and, at the same time, accessible sources of help. In
addition, the cloud of stigma that overshadows such families makes it hard-
er for relatives to seek help or support in case of exposure to alcohol addic-
tion (Black, 1992; Haverfield and Theiss, 2015). Children from such families are
faced with the difficulties of dealing with special circumstances and everyday
stress, which poses a serious threat to the children’s mental and physical health.
Risk and protective factors
Circumstances of growing up in a family affected by alcohol addiction
Alcoholism dictates special circumstances that require adaptive functioning in
the family. Each member assumes a role that is necessary for the psychological
survival of the family dynamic and, simultaneously, for their own survival. The
atmosphere in such families is extremely chaotic, unpredictable, and inconsist-
ent (Nodar, 2012). All the members are on the lookout for whether the parent
will come home drunk, and whether an argument or a fight will follow. Chil-
dren are constantly exposed to stressors and deprived of a sense of security,
which is the basis of the normative development (Poljšak Škraban, 2007; Hus�-
song et al., 2008). Violence is also often present, as both addiction and the in-
fluence of alcohol reduce the ability to control aggressive impulses (Hall, 1994;
Zuckerman, 2005; Kordič, 2007). In a small study conducted in Slovenia, two
out of three adult children from families affected by alcohol addiction report-
ed the presence of violence at home (Henigsman, 2015).
Compared to an optimal family dynamic, communication within alco-
hol-affected families differs significantly. If the optimal environment is usual-
ly characterized by consistent, clear, specific, and constructively-oriented com-
support from the environment outside the family (school environment,
NGOs, local community).
Keywords: alcohol addiction, children from families affected by alcohol
addiction, psychosocial consequences, protective factors
Introduction
Alcohol addiction is a disease that causes an irresistible craving for alcohol, de-
spite the fact that it harms both the individual and his loved ones. It makes it
hard for an individual to function on a daily basis and fulfill various roles, such
as the role of a partner, parent, employee, etc. (Perko, 2011). Addiction requires
the attention of all family members, which makes it a family disease (Goeke,
2017). The consequences affect partners and children, which means that deal-
ing with an individual’s addiction makes it crucial to also deal with all close
relatives involved. Children are the ones who are often overlooked in this re-
gard. There is a lack of knowledge in fields where working with children from
such families is required and, at the same time, accessible sources of help. In
addition, the cloud of stigma that overshadows such families makes it hard-
er for relatives to seek help or support in case of exposure to alcohol addic-
tion (Black, 1992; Haverfield and Theiss, 2015). Children from such families are
faced with the difficulties of dealing with special circumstances and everyday
stress, which poses a serious threat to the children’s mental and physical health.
Risk and protective factors
Circumstances of growing up in a family affected by alcohol addiction
Alcoholism dictates special circumstances that require adaptive functioning in
the family. Each member assumes a role that is necessary for the psychological
survival of the family dynamic and, simultaneously, for their own survival. The
atmosphere in such families is extremely chaotic, unpredictable, and inconsist-
ent (Nodar, 2012). All the members are on the lookout for whether the parent
will come home drunk, and whether an argument or a fight will follow. Chil-
dren are constantly exposed to stressors and deprived of a sense of security,
which is the basis of the normative development (Poljšak Škraban, 2007; Hus�-
song et al., 2008). Violence is also often present, as both addiction and the in-
fluence of alcohol reduce the ability to control aggressive impulses (Hall, 1994;
Zuckerman, 2005; Kordič, 2007). In a small study conducted in Slovenia, two
out of three adult children from families affected by alcohol addiction report-
ed the presence of violence at home (Henigsman, 2015).
Compared to an optimal family dynamic, communication within alco-
hol-affected families differs significantly. If the optimal environment is usual-
ly characterized by consistent, clear, specific, and constructively-oriented com-
