How have you dealt/coped with having a parent who you view as having a problem with alcohol?

Main Interview schedule

1. How would you describe your parent’s use of alcohol??

(label/category; frequency of drinking; what were they like when they were drinking;

how was this different to when they were sober)

Prompt: at what point do you think it becomes problematic for you/for them/others?

2. Can you tell me what life was like for you as a child?

At what point did you start to realise your parent’s use of alcohol may be a problem?

Prompt: How did you realize, what age, what did you do (if anything)?

Can you tell me about the best/worse experiences when alcohol was a factor?

3. How has your parent/s use of alcohol influenced where you are in your life today?

(Prompts: work/forming of relationships/emotional well being/choice of partner/education/

What kind of adult are you today? Have you carried any of your childhood patterns into your adult life? If so, do these patterns help or hinder you?)

4. How have you dealt/coped with having a parent who you view as having a problem with alcohol?

(Prompt: professional counseling/support groups – if yes, when & for how long; sharing experiences with others – family members/friends; avoidance of parent, denial, leaving home)

Final questions:

How do you feel about things now?

Is there anything that hasn’t come up which you expected to?

- 161 - Appendix F

Information Sheet

Project Title - Parental Problem Drinking: The Life Experiences of The Adult Child

My name is Jacqueline Iacovou & I am conducting the above D.Psych project under the supervision of Susan van Scoyoc at City University, London.

The purpose of the study is to explore the experiences of adults who view themselves as having a parent with a problem with alcohol. It is not important whether your parent/s have been officially classified as a problem drinker or alcoholic or whether they even believe their drinking is a problem, this is about your views as their child.

By speaking about some of your experiences it is hoped that our knowledge of this group of individuals will increase. Additionally as counselling psychologists it may raise awareness of some of the key issues necessary to explore in therapy which we do not yet know about.

If you agree to take part you will be asked to participate in a tape-recorded interview lasting approximately one hour, providing an opportunity to speak about your

experiences both as a child and in the present day. The structure of the interview will be very loose in the hope that we will discuss what you believe is most important.

Participation in this study is voluntary and you are able to withdraw at any time, including after the interview has taken place. All information will remain confidential and anonymous at all times in accordance with the British Psychological Society Ethical Guidelines. Please bear in mind that the data collected from this study may be

published, however all names and locations would be changed to protect your identity.

Although it is not intended that any emotional distress be caused by the interview, if given the nature and sensitivity of the research area you do become distressed at any point during the interview we take a break, or stop the interview altogether.

Thank you for considering taking part in this study.

- 162 - Appendix G

Consent Form

Project Title - Parental Problem Drinking: The Life Experiences of The Adult Child

Name of Researcher: Miss Jacqueline Iacovou - Name of Supervisor: Susan Van Scoyoc -

Please read the following before signing below:

 I confirm that I have read or been read, and understood the Information Sheet provided for the above study, and that any questions have been answered by the researcher satisfactorily.

 I understand that my participation is voluntary, and I have the right to withdraw at any time without reason.

 I consent to having the interview taped.

Name of Participant: Name of Researcher:

Date: Date:

Signature: Signature:

- 163 - Appendix H

Demographics Sheet

About you:

Gender: ... (Please state) Age: ... (Please state) Occupation: ...(Please circle) Full time

Part time Student Unemployed

Other ...(Please state)

About your parent/s:

Which parent do you consider to have a problem with alcohol?

Please circle... Mother / Father / Both Did you still live with this parent/s?

Please circle ...Yes / No

If you answered No, between which ages did you live with your parent?

...

Interview date:

Participant code:

- 164 - Appendix I

Debriefing Sheet

Project Title- Parental Problem Drinking: The Life Experiences of The Adult Child

Thank you for participating in the above research project.

The aim of the study was twofold: firstly it was to provide you with the opportunity to speak openly about your experiences of having a parent whom you view as having a problem with alcohol. Additionally, the reason behind the loose interview schedule is because I was interested in finding out what was most important to you and did not wish to make any assumptions about what life is like having a parent you consider uses alcohol problematically. The information provided from the interview will now be analysed and used to generate themes so as to determine what information may be valuable for counselling psychologists.

It is possible the study may identify what type of support is most/least helpful and moreover what support they would like to see offered by psychologists and other health care professionals in the future. It is hoped that with the data collected from your interview it will assist professionals in providing appropriate support at different stages of life including both child and adulthood. By establishing which areas of life are most severely affected by having a parent with alcohol problems (e.g. employment, mental health, relationships, and social functioning) counselling psychologists can broaden their knowledge and again become better equipped to support adult children, and refer you to the appropriate services if you so wish.

I would like to remind you that if you do not feel comfortable with your interview being used for this study you still have the right to withdraw and can do so at any time.

If you require any further information or have any concerns about the interview please

contact me on You may also contact the

research supervisor of this project, Susan van Scoyoc at City University, London

Although it was not anticipated that any distress be caused by the interview please see below for your local support groups and counselling organisations should you need any support in the future:

www.al-anonuk.org.uk The Al-Anon Family Groups are a fellowship of relatives and friends of alcoholics who share their experience, strength, and hope in order to solve their common problems.

www.adultchildren.org (adult children of alcoholics world service organisation)

- 165 -

Children of addicted parents and people www.coap.co.uk – a website created to share experiences and stories

National Carers Line - Tel: 0808-808-7777

NAPAC – the national association for people abused in childhood.

www.napac.org.uk; 0800-085-3330 Samaritans

www.samaritans.org; 08457-90-90-90.