WHY SOME CHILDREN OF ALCOHOLICS BECOME ALCOHOLICS - EMULATION OF THE DRINKER

From a review of recent literature, support was found for the hypothesis that the power of an alcoholic parent within a household is related to whether offspring become alcoholic. In considering reasons for this relationship, it is suggested here that children and adolescents are more likely to emulate and identify with a powerful alcoholic parent and, through these processes, learn that alcohol can make them feel powerful.