Understanding and helping the children of problem drinkers: a systems-psychodynamic perspective

A brief overview of some of the psychological sequelae associated with parental alcohol abuse emphasises the variety of coping mechanisms utilised by children. In order to understand the experience from the child's perspective and assess possible effects on development, a psychodynamic-systems model is introduced. In-depth case material is then presented which attempts to utilise the proposed theoretical integration. The paper concludes with a discussion of some of the possible implications of the psychodynamic-system viewpoint for effective treatment.