Psychological peculiarities of self-worth certainty in adults raised in families with parental alcoholism

Studies on adult children of alcoholics (ACoA) are well represented in foreign publications, but the psychological specificity of this group remains controversial. In domestic studies, ACoA receive insufficient attention. Special attention should be paid to the study of self-attitude and self-value of adults raised in alcoholic families. Respondents (N = 170) were divided into subsamples using the CAST test, adapted by A. I. Tascheva and S. V. Gridneva. The ACoA group consisted of 89 respondents (52.4 %, 33 women, mean age 23.44 ± 5.53 years), and the comparison group — 81 respondents (47.6 %, 26 women, mean age 24.75 ± 7.46 years). The Biographical Questionnaire for the Diagnosis of Behavioral Disorders was used to collect data on the family situation. Self-value and self-attitude were assessed using the Scale of Self- Attitude (Pantileev, Stolin), the Basic Beliefs Scale (Padun, Kotelnikova), and K. Neff ’s Self- Compassion questionnaire (adapted by K. A. Chistopolskaya et al.). Maladaptive traits in self- attitude and self-value were identified in adults raised in alcoholic families. More pronounced experiences of family influence during childhood were found in respondents between the ages of 18 and 25. Regression analysis showed that non-judgment of one’s own shortcomings and the perception of difficulties as normal aspects of human existence help ACoA to value themselves despite a dysfunctional childhood. The results are compared with previous studies and may be useful in psychocorrectional work with ACoA. Limitations include an uneven gender ratio, a preponderance of respondents in early adulthood, sampling from social networks, and a lack of detailed sociodemographic data.

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