• Korean Journal of Social Welfare
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• v.56 no.4
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• pp.317-343
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• 2004

The purpose of this study is to explore further understanding of variables, besides father's alcoholism, which relates to psychosocial adjustment among ADAF(adult daughters of alcoholic fathers). This study examines the relationship between father's alcoholism, family functioning, parental attachment and the psychosocial adjustment among the ADAF. From a larger sample of 463 female college students, 160 ADAF and a matched group of non-ADAF were identified to participate in the study. This survey was conducted in Seoul and Gyungi-do area. Participants completed self-report questionnaires, "The Korean Version of Children of Alcoholics Screening Test", "Inventory of Parent and Peer Attachment", "Satisfaction With Life Scale", "Self-esteem", "Beck Depression Inventory" and "Family Environment Scale". Path analyses was used to test the research question. Findings indicated that father's alcoholism had no direct effect on both the psychosocial adjustment of the ADAF and the family functioning. But father's alcoholism was significantly related to parental attachment. Family functioning was significant predictor of attachment to parents as well as psychosocial adjustment. Finally family functioning is important cause for parental attachment and psychosocial adjustment, specifically self-esteem and life satisfaction outcomes only. Therefore parental attachment was function as a mediator in the relationship between family functioning and psychosocial adjustment. In conclusion, this study showed that father's alcoholism did not predict outcome. We need to reconsider the assumption that direct link exists between adult adjustment difficulties and the presence of father's alcoholism. Implications for clinical and theoretical work with ADAF are discussed.