Abstract
This study examined the role of perceptions of family environment and family communication as mediators of the effects of parental alcoholism on the self-esteem of adult children of alcoholics. Participants (N = 227) completed self-reports of parental alcoholism, family environment, family communication patterns (FCP), and self-esteem. Results indicated a negative relationship between the seriousness of both maternal and paternal alcoholism and self-esteem. Paternal and maternal alcoholism were related to the two dimensions of family environment, family stressors and parental disregard, although the effect for paternal alcoholism was larger. The relationship between maternal alcoholism and offspring self-esteem was partially mediated by parental disregard, whereas the relationship between paternal alcoholism and self-esteem was mediated by parental disregard and perceptions of a conversation-orientation FCP.
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