Childhood abuse of parents of alcohol and other drug misusing adolescents.

Parental history of childhood physical/sexual abuse was examined among 68 parents of hospitalized middle-class adolescent alcohol/drug misusers and 68 parents of comparable nonhospitalized adolescents. Childhood physical and/or sexual abuse was reported by 54% of control and 48% of patient mothers and 46% of patient and 47% of control fathers, nonsignificant group and gender differences. Abused as compared to nonabused parents reported significantly greater alcohol dependency, more lifetime medical and childhood hyperactivity symptoms, lower levels of socialization, and greater levels of verbal ability, neuroticism, and addiction proneness.