Problematic parental substance use, childhood family structures and adverse outcomes in young adulthood

Date: Tuesday 12th March 2024, 14.00 UK time, 15.00 Danish time other times: www.timeanddate.com/worldclock)

Title: Problematic parental substance use, childhood family structures and adverse outcomes in young adulthood

Presenters: Dr Kirsten Frederiksen, Associate Professor at Centre for Alcohol and Drug Research, Aarhus University, Denmark

Description: This Webinar looked at a variety of structural issues which impact on the outcomes for children growing up with a parent with problematic substance use. Dr Frederiksen has undertaken considerable research in this area (her PhD was on the consequences for children when parents have substance use problems). This Webinar provides information about her entire Ph.D. thesis and then specifically looks at her recent study which investigated (using a combination of surveys and national register data) the association between childhood family structures and adverse outcomes during adolescence/young adulthood. This research found that one of her initial hypotheses (that the longer a child lived with a parent with substance use problems, the greater the level of adverse outcomes in young adulthood) was not supported. In terms of resilience, it also supported the suggestion that growing up with both parents (regardless of whether there is PPSU or not) is a clear protective factor, whereas growing up with a parent with long-term unemployment or mental health issues is a significant risk factor.