Impact of Fathers’ Alcohol Problems on the Development of Effortful Control in Early Adolescence

Abstract

This article examines the association between fathers' alcohol problems and children's effortful control during the transition from middle childhood to early adolescence (fourth to sixth grade). Additionally, we examined the role of two potential moderators of this association, fathers' antisocial behavior and child gender. Method: The sample consisted of 197 families (102 nonalcoholic [NA]; 95 father alcoholic [FA], in which only the father met diagnostic criteria for alcohol abuse or dependence). The sample was recruited from New York State birth records when the children were 12 months old. This analysis focused on 12-month alcohol problem data and child effortful control data measured in the fourth and sixth grades. Results: Structural equation modeling revealed that FA status was associated with lower effortful control on the Stroop Color and Word and Tower of London tasks in the sixth grade, but antisocial behavior did not moderate this association. Multiple group analysis revealed that FA status was associated with higher Stroop interference scores in fourth and sixth grade and lower move scores on the Tower of London task for boys but not girls. Conclusions: The association between FA status and effortful control may be attenuated in middle childhood (fourth grade) but emerge again in early adolescence (sixth grade). The results indicate that sons of alcoholics may be particularly vulnerable to poor self-regulatory strategies and that early adolescence may be an important time for intervening with these families to facilitate higher self-regulation before the transition to high school.

Maternal influences on effortful control in adolescence: Developmental pathways to externalizing behaviors

“…In contrast, there were no significant associations between maternal substance use disorder or parenting stress and child effortful control or externalizing behaviors. Previous research has found associations between reduced effortful control in the child and greater externalizing problems in early childhood (Eiden et al, ) and adolescence (Adkison et al, ) in children of parents with substance use disorders. The lack of these associations may be due to a number of reasons.…”

“…Firstly, the present study only examined the effect of mothers on child outcomes. Children's relationships with their fathers are important as past literature has shown (Adkison et al, ; Eiden et al, ). Fathers may have unique effects on children's effortful control or interactive effects with maternal characteristics, which should be investigated in future studies.…”

“…In addition, the presence of a substance use disorder may also lower a parent's ability to provide the important positive influences a child needs in order to be well‐regulated. Specifically, research has found lower effortful control and greater externalizing problems in children of fathers diagnosed with alcohol use disorder in the preschool years (Eiden, Edwards, & Leonard, ) and in adolescence (Adkison et al, ). To our knowledge, no study to date has examined the specific influences of maternal substance use disorder in childhood on children's effortful control in adolescence.…”

“…Research has found that parent effortful control is associated with child effortful control (Bridgett et al, ) and that adverse parent‐level factors in childhood contribute to effortful control and externalizing behavior in adolescence (Adkison et al, ; Hussong et al, ). However, in their review Bridgett and colleagues () state that the parental transmission of effortful control has not yet been examined in the context of various adverse maternal characteristics, and that research has not looked at how parent‐to‐child effortful control may contribute to externalizing outcomes for the child in adolescence.…”

Emotional and Behavioral Problems in Children Living With Addicted Family Members: Prevention Challenges in an Underprivileged Suburban Community

“…Children of substance abusers were found to be more likely to consume and face substance use related problems (Buu et al, 2012). Moreover, these individuals tends to start the consumption of alcohol and drugs earlier, when compared to children of non-addicts and, in early adolescence, have significantly higher odds of drinking alcohol, using illicit drugs, drinking heavier, and presenting addiction symptoms (Adkison et al, 2013).…”