Cognitive, behavioral, and emotional problems among school-age children of alcoholic parents

Sixty-four children from 37 families with an alcoholic parent were compared with 80 children from 45 families that did not have an alcoholic parent on measures of intelligence, cognitive achievement, psychological and physical disorders, impulsivity-hyperactivity, social competence, learning problems, behavior problems, and self-esteem. On nine of 17 tests, the children of alcoholic parents scored less well than did the children of nonalcoholic parents, although both were within normal ranges. Factor analysis yielded significant differences between the two samples in emotional functioning and cognitive abilities and performance; marginally significant differences were found with respect to behavior problems.