The coping roles of offspring of alcohol dependants : their measurement and validity

Abstract

In an attempt to bridge the gap between clinical and empirical research on the children of alcohol dependents (COAs), the present study examined the extent to which supposedly dysfunctional role prescribed behaviour was linked with the seriousness of problem drinking in the family. Specifically, the study investigated Wegscheider and Black's contention that COAs adopt one or more of the roles of family hero, scapegoat, lost child, mascot and placater. The contribution of parental drinking behaviour to role adoption was examined by controlling for the confounding risk factor of family disorganization. Data were obtained through a self-completion questionnaire administered to a sample of adolescents within the Canberra community. Parental drinking behaviour was assessed using the Children of Alcoholics Screening Test (CAST), and the Coping Role Instrument developed from the writings of Wegscheider and Black. Structural analyses of the interrelationships of items representing each role provided qualified support for the typology, with the need to define types more specifically. The pattern of intercorrelations among roles indicated that if respondents were likely to adopt any role to a degree, they were also likely to adopt other roles. While parental drinking could be linked to adoption of three roles (hero, scapegoat and placater), family disorganization was also found to be an important predictor of role adoption. Low family cohesiveness was the major predictor of whether adolescents would adopt the mascot or lost child roles. The study concluded that coping role behaviour is not peculiar to COAs, occurring among adolescents as a response to threat generally. Congruent with notions from the stress literature, it was suggested that while parental drinking may represent a significant stressor for offspring, its effects must be considered as a complex interplay with other family environment and offspring variables.