Differences in character roles between adolescents from alcoholic and nonalcoholic homes

The present study was an initial investigation to determine whether differences existed in role-prescribed behaviors between adolescents from alcoholic and nonalcoholic homes. Specifically, the study investigated Black's contention that children of alcoholics adopt one or more of the roles of responsible child, placater, adjuster, and acting-out child. The Children of Alcoholics Screening Test (CAST) was used to identify responses to parental drinking behavior and the Children of Alcoholics Family Role Instrument (CAFRI) was developed to obtain a measure of subjects' perceptions of role behavior. The independent variable was group membership in either an alcoholic or nonalcoholic family and the dependent variables were the role scores on the CAFRI. Statistical comparisons of differences in individual roles between groups indicated that adolescents from alcoholic families rated themselves higher on the acting-out role with a prominent although nonsignificant tendency to exhibit behaviors characteristic of the placater and adjuster. A post-hoc analysis demonstrated no significant differences between roles on birth order or age. A significant effect for gender was evidenced on the placater role only, with females rating higher than males. Results are discussed in terms of the influence of a differential self-reported enactment of specific character roles between adolescents from alcoholic and nonalcoholic families.