Term Paper on "Children of Narcotic Addicts"

Term Paper 5 pages (1449 words) Sources: 1 Style: APA

[EXCERPT] . . . .

Children of Narcotic Addicts

David N. Nurco, Robert J. Blatchley, Thomas E. Hanlon, Kevin E. O'Grady. Early Deviance and Related Risk Factors in the Children of Narcotic Addicts. Am. J. Drug Alcohol Abuse, 25(1), pp. 25-45. 1999.

The main objective of the article represents the assessment of the development of children that had either subjected to the influence of narcotic addicts or have been part of families in which the consumption of narcotics occurred. More precisely, for the authors of the article it was important to point out the different factors that influence the practice of drug consumption among children and young adolescences.

The study was conducted on 285 children, male and females, aged between 12 and 17. They represented children of parents who were enrolled in methadone maintenance treatment programs. The technique used was based on a 2, 5 hours interview in which the respondents were requested to focus on their previous and current activities, including any criminal activities conducted until the age of 12. The questions focused on the history of early deviance, on the family structure of the subject, on the atmosphere present in the home environment, information related to the use of drug and alcohol, the association with deviant peers, as well as psychological symptoms. (29)

The overall findings suggest first and foremost a difference of opinions between past and present research in the field. In this sense, while the analysis made on young adults concerning their behavior and the possible influences which determined their deviant attitude pointed out the fact that parental behavior is determinant for the eventual development of children, the analysis made on children underlined the fact that there are other causes adjacent to the influence of the parents' attitude. In this sense, the lack of parental supervision, parental rejections, the lack of parent-child involvement are essential for the way in which children eventually develop and in which their behavior evolves or involves. From the perspective of this analysis, these are the basic causes for the deviant behavior of children.

The major findings of the current study suggest that the teenagers under discussion have the tendency to start the consumption of drugs and alcohol from an earlier age than previous generations and more precisely in relation to the subjects under analysis in the vulnerability study. Therefore, it can be concluded that the influence of deviant peers, of the family structure, and of other relevant family influenced determine to a large extent the way in which children of narcotic addicts develop.

The conclusion was reached after laying down the actual results of the interviews and of the answers from the subjects. When dealing with early deviances, the conclusion was that 64% of the subjects had committed at least one crime before the age of 11. The rest of the respondents answered negatively to the question. However, 45% of those that affirmed having committed a crime at this stage had engaged in a physical fight. Otherwise, 25% have disobeyed a direct order from one of the parents; 13% had shoplifted; 11% of the children under analysis who had responded affirmatively to the question damaged property on purpose, while 5% percent of them had carried weapons by the age of 11. Another interesting finding of the analysis considers the fact that by the age of 11, 5% of those interviewed had disobeyed a police officer.

Concerning the drug use, the findings showed that 21% of the children from the study had consumed drugs so far; in terms of the frequency, 16% of them had used drugs in the last 12 months. Alcohol consumption was yet another issue under discussion in the analysis study. The result revealed the fact that 37% of the children had consumed alcoholic drinks, 25% of them prior to the age of 12. Most importantly however is the fact that the average age for alcohol consumption was 12, 26.

In terms of the family structure of the children subject to the study, the results revealed the fact that 39% of them lived in families with intact structures, meaning with both natural parents living in the same family environment. In relation to the influence of the family structure, the subjects responded that the home atmosphere was relatively good. However, these results showed a racial differentiation. Thus, the home environment of the African-American children was reported better than that… READ MORE

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