The process of coping among young adult children of alcoholics

Children of alcoholics are often misdiagnosed or ignored because of socially acceptable coping styles. These survival coping mechanisms have been identified as specific role behaviors inhibiting normal development. These assumptions, however, have not been tested with rigorous research techniques. The purpose of this study was to describe the developing role patterns and/or coping behaviors of 30 young adult children of alcoholics (ACAs) between the ages of 18 and 28. Data were obtained primarily through in-depth interviews as well as the Jalowiec Coping Scale. Interview responses were analyzed using content analysis procedures and triangulated with questionnaire responses. The findings of this study suggest a possible developmental delay in coping strategies used by children of alcoholics although no specific ACA role behaviors were identified. Confrontive measures of coping did not develop until young adulthood and only after therapeutic intervention. Two unique methods of coping, reversed emotive and reversed confrontive, were also identified. The latter could be peculiar to this population, since it reflected many codependent behaviors.