Childhood sexual abuse and parental alcoholism: Interactive effects in adult women.

Abstract

Symptoms associated with histories of childhood sexual abuse and parental alcoholism were investigated in a sample of 364 university women. A significant association was found in occurrence between the two stressors, and a substantially higher level of symptoms was revealed in women who had experienced both during childhood.

Victimization and Substance Abuse among Women: Contributing Factors, Interventions, and Implications

“…Further, the more alcohol and drug abuse in the family, the higher the likelihood of child abuse and family violence (Bays, 1990; Feig, 1990). Yama, Fogas, Teegarden, and Hastings (1993) found that women who experienced childhood sexual abuse in addition to parental alcoholism had more mental health problems than women who experienced either child sexual abuse or parental alcoholism.…”

Parental alcoholism and other family disruptions: Adult outcomes among sisters.

“…Links between alcoholism and family violence, including severe neglect, physical and sexual abuse of children, and violence among other family members, have been investigated since the early 1960s ( Barnard, 1990;Behling 1979;Black et al, 1986;Chafetz, Blane, & Hill, 1971;Miller, Downs, & Testa, 1993;Server & Janzen, 1982;Virkunnen, 1974;Yama, Fogas, Teegarden, & Hastings, 1993;Young, 1964). Several studies have demonstrated that violence is greater in families with alcoholic parents (Chafetz et al, 1971).…”

“…The link between alcohol and incest is a strong one (Virkunnen, 1974), with estimates of alcohol problems among perpetrators of incest ranging from 15%80% ( Barnard, 1990). Yama et al (1993) found a substantial overlap (31%) between female subjects who experienced sexual abuse and those with parental alcoholism. For subjects with both conditions, there were increased levels of somatization, depression, anxiety, dissociation, and general symptomatology.…”