[A study on the relationship between solvent abusers and alcoholism in the parental generation]

In recent years, attention has been paid to the fact that alcoholism and/or drug addiction runs in families. Few studies have investigated the relationship between solvent abuse in adolescents and alcoholism in their parents. Two hundred and ten solvent abusers who came to Serigaya-en, alcoholism and drug addiction treatment hospital, during from 1983 to 1989, were examined from the following two standpoints. The proportion of solvent abusers with alcoholic parents (A group), what characteristics the solvent abusers in A group had as compared with those whose parents were not alcoholic (NA group). The findings were summarized as follows; 21.4% of the subjects had an alcoholic (FH-RDC) parent. They were approximately two years older than those in the NA group at the first examination. The solvent abusers of the A group presented with: 1) more experiences of parental death and/or separation prior to the age of 15; 2) a higher frequency of school refusal in elementary or junior high school; 3) poorer socioeconomic status; 4) a longer duration of solvent abuse; 5) more abuse of addictive drugs other than solvent; 6) a more severe psychopathology; 7) a higher incidence of chronic organic diseases among their parents; 8) a higher incidence of solvent abuse among their siblings. The present study indicates that: 1) many a solvent abuser come from alcoholic families; 2) parental alcoholism is responsible not only for solvent abuse, but also for the development of addictions, (e.g., prolonged solvent abuse, developing into alcoholism or poly-substance abuse); 3) clinical and socioeconomic deterioration occurs not merely in the individual abusers but also in other family members, especially in the A group. The results lead the author to stress the importance of focusing the therapy upon the family itself.