Childhood abusive and supportive experiences, inter-parental violence, and parental alcohol use : Prediction of young adult depressive symptoms and aggression

Issues in both the children of alcoholics & child abuse literatures were addressed in an attempt to disentangle the effects on young adults of growing up in alcoholic homes versus abusive homes. Using multiple regression, retrospective reports of parental abuse (emotional, physical, & sexual) & parental support (love/support, independence, & fairness), witnessing violence between parents, & parental alcohol use were used as predictor variables for outcomes noted by both literatures. When the effects of all other predictors were statistically controlled, parental alcohol use was not significantly related to depressive symptoms or aggression. Different abusive & supportive behaviors, depending on sex of parent & sex of participant, were significant predictors of both depression & aggression. Results underscore the importance of including & controlling for inter-parental violence & for different types of child abuse (especially emotional abuse) & parental supportive behaviors in investigations of outcomes related to abusive & alcoholic families. Implications for treatment of individuals from these families are discussed. Tables, References. Adapted from the source document.