ABSTRACT
Parental alcoholism is a risk factor of great public health significance because it has the potential to affect a large number of children and adolescents. Although prevalence estimates for alcoholism vary with the operational definition of the disorder, Russell, Henderson, and Blume (1985) used epidemiological data to estimate that there were approximately 6.6 million children of alcoholic parents (COAs) under age 18, as well as 22 million “adult” COAs (i.e., aged 18 or older). Because such a large segment of the population is exposed to parental alcoholism, any adverse effects that it conveys have the potential to produce widespread negative health outcomes.
