Alcoholic Parents Elevate Suicide Risk in Children by 85 Percent

Parental abuse of alcohol increases risk of suicide in children by 85 percent, a new study claims.

The study claim that those who are raised by alcoholic parents aree 85 percent more likely to attempt suicide later in life  compared to those whose parents did not abuse alcohol. Also having divorced parents elevates the suicidal risk by 14 percent.  But having divorced and alcoholic parents did not up the risk.

"These findings underscore the need for comprehensive client and family assessments by clinicians to identify people in particular need of early interventions," said lead author Dana Alonzo, PhD, of Columbia University. "Individuals whose parents were divorced or abused alcohol might be more vulnerable for suicide than those from intact or nonalcoholic households. Prevention and treatment efforts need to target groups that are accurately identified as at risk."

In this study the researchers examined the data of 43,093 people of age 18 and older who took part in a survey. These participants were interviewed in person.  Nearly 13,753 of them claimed to have suffered major depression early in life and 1,073 had attempted suicide. 
Among those whose attempted suicide 25 percent said they had divorced parents and 46 percent had alcoholic parents. From the entire sample, 2.4 percent reported suicide attempt and 16 percent reported having divorced parents and 21 percent claimed to have at least one parent who abused alcohol.

The researchers assume that divorce lowers the hostility at home.

"Or, it may be that children with an alcoholic parent are not as surprised when their parents split up because they have already witnessed so much conflict, so it may not lead to as much confusion and resentment as it might in a better-functioning family," Alonzo said.

The study was published by the American Psychological Association.