According to a new government report, one in ten children in America lives with a parent who abuses alcohol. This means that about 7.5 million children are at increased risk of developing a variety of serious problems including anxiety and depression later in life. The report, which was released by the Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration (SAMHSA), also found that most of these kids live in two-parent household where one or both parents have an alcohol abuse problem.
SAMHSA reports that children who live with an alcoholic parent are more likely to be neglected or abused. They are at greater risk of language deficiencies and cognitive development issues. They are also four times more likely to have their own problems with alcohol as adults.
Another recent study emphasizes why the odds are against children of alcoholics. Researchers in the Netherlands found that parents who set strict rules about drinking are more likely to have children who can control their impulses to drink alcohol. Drinking at a younger age is more likely to lead to a drinking disorder later in life, so it’s critically important for parents to help their children avoid alcohol during adolescence.
The Dutch study, which was published in the journal Alcoholism, survey 238 teenagers ages 12 to 16 about their drinking habits and their parents’ attitudes. Alcohol abuse is a serious problem in the Netherlands; three quarters of the teens in the survey said they had tried alcohol. The survey found that teens with strict parents were less likely to drink when they had the opportunity. They were also better able to consider the consequences of their choices about alcohol.
The study concluded that parents who define strict rules about their children’s alcohol use help them develop impulse control. This is especially true for boys. Unfortunately, parents who have their own issues with alcohol are far less likely to create rules related to alcohol use for their children. Some parents mistakenly believe that allowing their teens to drink at home will curb their desire to sneak alcohol outside the home and help them become responsible drinkers. The Dutch study indicates that permissive parenting in regards to alcohol may actually break down a teen’s impulse control and increase their desire to drink.
This recent study correlates with a 2010 U.S. study that found that parental rules may not stop a teen from trying alcohol, but it can reduce the chances of binge drinking behavior. Teens with parents who are lenient about alcohol use are three times more likely to binge drink when compared to teens whose parents lay down strict rules. Even the French have recently announced that their nation’s tradition of allowing children to drink wine with meals has contributed to a rise in binge drinking among French teenagers.
