Date of Award

11-1991

Degree Type

Master's Essay - Restricted

Degree Name

Master of Education (MEd)

Department

Education

First Advisor

J.M. Heiden

Abstract

One population in our parochial grade school system is distressingly underserved, and even unserved. This group of students consists of children living in families affected by the disease of alcoholism. Some writers have termed alcoholism as "our most serious health problem" (Harris, Fourth Special Report to U.S. Congress, 1981; p.v., Gress, 1988, p. 19). Various authors have provided differing estimates regarding the number of children impacted by the family disease of alcoholism. One of every five children in our classrooms, or approximately fifteen million students, are thought to be young children of alcoholics (Brake, 1988; Gress, 1988; Lehr & Schrock, 1987).

Writers in the field cite several reasons why psychologists, counselors, school administrators, and teachers are not adequately assisting this huge number of children. The preponderant reasons include the following: society's powerful attitude of denial toward alcohol as a ruinous drug, the unwritten rules in the alcoholic family, the professional's own attitude toward alcoholism, and the prevailing hesitancy to interfere in a family's privacy (Tharinger & Koranek, 1988).

This paper is an attempt to elucidate the issue that is plaguing every classroom setting, preschool through high school, and to address the needs of children from alcoholic families, specifically these children enrolled in parochial grade schools. The second part of the task is to devise a planned solution by suggesting a prevention, intervention and postvention program for them.

We can no longer bypass or ignore the poignant needs of these children who are daily, and deeply, affected by alcoholism in the home, or by parents who themselves are children of an alcoholic family system.

Comments

An Essay submitted to the Graduate School, Marquette University, in Partial Fulfillment of the Requirement for the Degree of Master of Education, Milwaukee, WI

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