Treating Adult Children of Alcoholics: A Developmental Perspective

A comprehensive theoretical and practical presentation on theassessment and treatment of adult children of alcoholics.

In Treating Adult Children of Alcoholics, renowned psychologist,researcher, and author Stephanie Brown develops an in-depth,integrated theory linking childhood experiences with an alcoholicparent to developmental difficulties. She emphasizes the importanceof the traumatic family environment and provides rich clinicaldescriptions, linking systems theory and literature of thehandicapped to the experience of children of alcoholics.

Dr. Brown connects environmental issues with individualdevelopment. She details the defensive maneuvers required to copewith an alcoholic parent and explores their impact on thedevelopment of the self. Finally, she outlines the process ofrecovery, continuing to emphasize the link between environment andindividual development. She traces the recovery process from itsfirst step--admitting parental alcoholism--through thereconstruction of personal identity based on incorporating therealities of parental alcoholism into a new vision of theself.

For mental health professionals, alcoholism counselors, graduatestudents, recovering alcoholics and their families, and adultchildren of alcoholics, Treating Adult Children of Alcoholicsprovides a clear understanding of the impact of parental alcoholismon the developing child. It also opens the door to a solid,realistic course of treatment that offers hope to thousands ofadult children of alcoholics.