Department of Psychology, Oklahoma State University, Stillwater, OK, 74074, USA.
Oklahoma State University Center for Health Sciences, Tulsa, OK, 74107, USA.
Subst Abuse Treat Prev Policy. 2023 May 19;18(1):28. doi: 10.1186/s13011-023-00536-z.
Parents with substance use disorders are highly stigmatized by multiple systems (e.g., healthcare, education, legal, social). As a result, they are more likely to experience discrimination and health inequities [1, 2]. Children of parents with substance use disorders often do not fare any better, as they frequently experience stigma and poorer outcomes by association [3, 4]. Calls to action for person-centered language for alcohol and other drug problems have led to improved terminology [5-8]. Despite a long history of stigmatizing, offensive labels such as "children of alcoholics" and "crack babies," children have been left out of person-centered language initiatives. Children of parents with substance use disorders can feel invisible, shameful, isolated, and forgotten-particularly in treatment settings when programming is centered on the parent [9, 10]. Person-centered language is shown to improve treatment outcomes and reduce stigma [11, 12]. Therefore, we need to adhere to consistent, non-stigmatizing terminology when referencing children of parents with substance use disorders. Most importantly, we must center the voices and preferences of those with lived experience to enact meaningful change and effective resource allocation.
父母患有物质使用障碍会受到多个系统（如医疗保健、教育、法律、社会）的高度污名化。因此，他们更有可能遭受歧视和健康不平等[1,2]。父母患有物质使用障碍的孩子情况也不会更好，因为他们经常因为关联而遭受污名化和更糟糕的后果[3,4]。呼吁采取以个人为中心的语言来描述酒精和其他药物问题，这导致了术语的改进[5-8]。尽管长期以来一直存在污名化和冒犯性的标签，如“酗酒者的孩子”和“可卡因婴儿”，但在以父母为中心的治疗计划中，儿童仍然被排除在以个人为中心的语言倡议之外[9,10]。以个人为中心的语言被证明可以改善治疗效果和减少污名化[11,12]。因此，我们在提及父母患有物质使用障碍的儿童时，需要使用一致的、非污名化的术语。最重要的是，我们必须以那些有亲身经历的人的声音和偏好为中心，以实现有意义的变革和有效的资源分配。
