This study explored the cultural knowledge of the adult who identified, through remembrances and behavior, their childhood experiences with an alcoholic parent. Ethnographic interviews were conducted with four adult children of an alcoholic father. Data were analyzed for relevant domains of meaning and cultural themes. Four cultural themes were identified from the data: (1) A lot of negative things happen when you have an alcoholic parent, (2) There are ways to take care of an alcoholic, (3) You learn to live with secrecy, (4) We sometimes make the same mistakes but we try not to. Recommendations for nursing practice based on the experiences of the adult child of an alcoholic are presented as well as recommendations for further research.

Thesis, PlanB (M.S.)--University of Wisconsin--Stout, 1999. / Includes bibliographical references.

No description available.

Research reports that an estimated forty-three percent of adults, or seventy-six million people, in the United States have relatives who are alcoholic. In addition, one in eight individuals, or an estimated 30 million adults, has an alcoholic parent. The literature suggests that the impact of growing up in an alcoholic family system may affect psychological functioning well into adulthood. Adult children of alcoholics (ACOAs) are at increased risk for a myriad of psychological symptoms including substance abuse/dependency, problems in interpersonal relationships, depression, anxiety, and low self-esteem. However, research has also indicated that there may be more heterogeneity within this group than previously reported. It has been suggested that while patterns of maladjustment and increased risk for psychological distress may be evident, no clear “syndrome” related to this population was supported. This study explored whether an ACOA’s childhood family role (i.e. Hero, Scapegoat, Mascot and Lost Child) explained variance within this population, using adult attachment and family of origin health as outcome measures. Results did not support this hypothesis. This study also examined between group differences in adult attachment styles and family of origin health between a sample of ACOAs and Non-ACOAs. Analysis indicated that ACOAs reported significantly more Fearful attachment styles than Non-ACOAs. As well, post-hoc analyses indicated that ACOAs described their families of origin as promoting significantly less personal responsibility, as well as, having lower support for the expression of emotions and constructive conflict resolution than Non-ACOAs. This study provides information which may be utilized by clinicians working with this population. The impact of less secure attachment styles within the therapeutic relationship should be considered. As well, this study provides evidence that a specific pattern of maladjustment secondary to the dynamics created by the disease of addiction may be present within alcoholic family systems that may differentiate them from other “dysfunctional” families. / text

I have elected to write a creative nonfiction thesis because it serves to demonstrate my proficiency in the areas of rhetoric and composition. This thesis consists of a series of personal essays based on my effort to reclaim my voice as a writer. In order to organize these essays, I used the eight trigrams, or universal elements, found in the ancient Chinese I Ching, Book of Changes. They are: Heaven, Thunder, Water, Mountain, Earth, Wind, Fire, and Lake. One by one, I interpreted each element in an effort to create a transformation narrative, my own Book of Changes. Despite the chaos of my real story, the universal elements offered a grounding for each essay. Each essay illustrates my survival as a woman and as a writer. Although these essays grew out of a deeply personal experience, this thesis is about crafting an essay-reclaiming my voice and my body of writing. / Graduation date: 2003

No description available.

The thesis was designed to identify adult children of alcoholics (ACOAs) among a sample of Ball State University students. The prevalence of common characteristic behaviors among adult anonymous survey was administered to two large sections of the Health Science, Fundamentals of Human Health class to obtain a representative sample.The results of the survey identified 21.9 percent of the 288 subjects to be adult children of alcoholics. A combined total of 31.6 percent of the 288 subjects were identified be adult children of problem drinkers and ACOAs. The most prevalent characteristic behavior identified by the ACOA population is statement number six, “I take myself very seriously.” This behavior characteristic was checked by 49.2 percent of the 63 identified ACOAs. The remaining 19 statements also were analyzed to enable the investigator to develop an accurate ACOA profile. / Department of Physiology and Health Science

Thesis (S.T.M.)--Trinity Lutheran Seminary, 1991. / Includes bibliographical references (leaves 111-113).

Thesis (Ph. D.)--Alliant International University, California School of Professional Psychology, San Francisco Bay, 2004. / Includes bibliographical references (42-45) and abstract.

Thesis--PlanB (M.S.)--University of Wisconsin--Stout, 1999. / Includes bibliographical references.