Parental Substance Abuse and Childhood Sexual Abuse and their Effects on Adulthood
This paper summarizes the substantial literature on the potentially negative effects on children growing up with a parent with a substance abuse problem or have dealt with sexual abuse, the risk factors that can exacerbate this effect, and resilience and protective factors that can mitigate it. Parental substance abuse, and childhood sexual abuse in the home are generally viewed as contributing factors to adulthood adjustments. Despite this, the long-term effects of these various factors are not well understood. We will be looking into those long-term effects.
Research into childhood sexual abuse on its effect on adulthood have been an isolated research focus in the past. Instead of focusing on that isolation, current research will be able to discuss the correlation that sexual abuse combined with substance abuse risk factors can lead to distress in adulthood. A survey has been created which will address both risk factors but will be available to individuals who may only suffer from one. The results from the survey will provide distinct differences between the two risk factors and the results should show how people with these risk factors have been able to navigate adulthood. There will also be a survey created that will address the opposite end of this trauma spectrum. We will compare the results of the two surveys and see which group of individuals appear to have a better chance at living a successful adult life.
