Alcoholism treatment and the family: do family and individual treatments for alcoholic adults have preventive effects for children?

OBJECTIVE: This article identifies findings on alcoholism treatment and the family that may have implications for prevention of mental health and substance abuse problems in children.
METHOD: We conducted a brief overview of research on family treatment for alcoholism and on family adjustment after individual treatment for the alcoholic.
RESULTS: Behavioral couples therapy with alcoholics and remission after individual alcoholism treatment have been associated with improved family functioning in a variety of domains, including reduced family stressors; improved marital adjustment; reduced domestic violence and verbal conflict; reduced risk of separation and divorce; improvement in important family processes related to cohesion, conflict and caring; and reduced emotional distress in spouses. These family factors have been linked with child mental health and psychosocial functioning in more general child developmental and psychopathology studies.
CONCLUSIONS: Research is needed to find out whether behavioral couples therapy or individual treatment for an alcoholic parent has beneficial and preventive effects for children, reducing their risk for mental health and substance abuse problems. Studies should determine whether there is a specific link between (a) improvements in family stressors, violence and verbal aggression, marital adjustment and stability and (b) child, adolescent and young adult outcomes for the children in these families.