Children of Alcoholics, a Social Work Response...Cyril John

1. Mr. Cyril John
Research Assistant
Department of Social Work
Christ University

2.  Alcoholicparental contribution to children’s
risk and vulnerability
 Rise of Alcohol problem in India
 Behavioral
and emotional problems among
adolescents
 Inconsistent child care and low
child-parent intimacy
“Children of Alcoholics, a Social Work Response"

3.  To study the self esteem level of the children of
alcoholics
 To study the adjustment capacities of the respondents to
different situations/institutions like;
 Family
 School
 Peers
 General
“Children of Alcoholics, a Social Work Response"

4. Extensive literatures speak of the influence
of parental alcoholism on children and
specially adolescents
Indian scenario; father as head of the family.
Alcoholic father means son shouldering
family responsibilities
Self esteem and relationships of these
children get affected
“Children of Alcoholics, a Social Work Response"

5. Design : Descriptive
Universe : All Male Adolescents with
Parental Alcoholism in
Mullenkolly Panchayat (Wayanad)
Unit : Single Male Adolescent with
Parental Alcoholism
Sampling : Purposive Sampling
Step 1. FGD with Key Persons of all
the Wards of the Panchayat
Step 2. Children of Alcoholic
Screening Test (CAST, Jones & Pilat)
“Children of Alcoholics, a Social Work Response"

6. Sample Size : 50 Adolescents of Alcoholic
Parents
Tools: 1. Self Esteem Index
(Mc Kennon, 1981)
2. Pre adolescent adjustment scale
(Pareek & Rao,1970)
3. Self structured Questionnaire
for socio-demographic data
“Children of Alcoholics, a Social Work Response"

7.  84% of the respondents have opined that
they have poor adjustments with the
teachers in the school
 Uncontrolled alcohol abuse has brought
major ill effects to the children in their
 Relationship with parents
 Siblings
 Peer groups
 Teachers, etc.
“Children of Alcoholics, a Social Work Response"

8.  Participants in the FGD have pointed out
that the children with an alcoholic parent
 Most pampered and
 Problem creators in schools
 Take into drinking
 Seek love and care outside family
 Being looked after by televation
“Children of Alcoholics, a Social Work Response"

9. 100%
1
90%
13
80%
70%
60%
50%
7 Low Self Esteem
40% High Self Esteem
29
30%
20%
10%
0%
Joint Nuclear
Family Type
“Children of Alcoholics, a Social Work Response"

10. 70
70
60
35
50
40
Low Adjustment
30 30 High Adjustment
20 15
10
0
frequency
Percentage
“Children of Alcoholics, a Social Work Response"

11.  “Integrated
development of adolescents in
schools of Mullankolley Panchayat”
3 year project, funded by same Panchayat
 Qualified social worker as project monitor
 SocialWorker can intervene through
various stakeholders
“Children of Alcoholics, a Social Work Response"

12.  Adolescents,
School Teachers,
Parents, CBOs, ASHA Workers, etc
 Focus of the Service Delivery
 Research
 School Social Work
 School Teachers
 Community
 Panchayat Leaders
 Clubs: Peer Group Support
“Children of Alcoholics, a Social Work Response"

13.  Educate the parents on parenting
 Helping school teachers on identifying and
handling students who need special care
 Improve the community participation in
building a strong social support
 Life skill education to children in the
schools.
 Peer Group Support Programmes
“Children of Alcoholics, a Social Work Response"

14.  Campaigns on the ill effects of Alcohol and
other substance abuse with a focus on the
tribal population
 Clinical consultation/reference facility for
alcohol and other substance dependents
 Help the students handle the emotional
problems for having an alcoholic father
“Children of Alcoholics, a Social Work Response"

15.  It
is a promising concept for the
development of region
 Such interventions are very much
important to minimize or alleviate the
impact of parental alcohol abuse on
children, family and community.
“Children of Alcoholics, a Social Work Response"

16.  Black, “Alcoholism and its impact on Children of
Alcoholics”, 1985
 Erikson,E.H. “Life History and the Historical Moment”, W · W
Norton & Company · Inc, New York, 1975.
 Gordis, E., “Children of Alcoholics: Are they
different?”, National Institute on Alcohol Abuse and Alcoholism
No. 9 PH 288 July 1990.
 NASW Department of Community Services, “Parental Alcohol
Misuse and the Impact on Children”, 2006.
 NIAAA, (January 2006), Underage drinking: Why do
adolescents drink, what are the risks, and how can underage
drinking be prevented? Alcohol Alert No. 67.
 Sekar, K. Et.al. “Handbook of Psychiatric Social
Work”, NIMHANS Publication, 2007.
 Sher,K.J., “Psychological Characteristics of Children of
Alcoholics”
“Children of Alcoholics, a Social Work Response"

17. “Children of Alcoholics, a Social Work Response"