Website for Children of Parents with Alcohol Problems

Barbara Conijn & Heleen Riper

Trimbos-institute, Netherlands Institute of Mental Health and Addiction

overview of presentationoverview of presentation Drankjewel.nl Drankjewel.nl

• explaining ‘drankjewel’.nlexplaining ‘drankjewel’.nl

• advisory committeeadvisory committee

• target grouptarget group

• contentcontent

• the web sitethe web site

• pilot implementationpilot implementation

Drankjewel.nlDrankjewel.nl

• Prevention Programme Trimbos-institutePrevention Programme Trimbos-institute

– Heleen RiperHeleen Riper

– Barbara ConijnBarbara Conijn

– financed by the Ministry of Health, Welfare & Sportsfinanced by the Ministry of Health, Welfare & Sports

Advisory CommissionAdvisory Commission

• Netherlands Institute for Health Promotion and Disease Prevention (NIGZ)

• Brijder Foundation, regional Dutch institute for addiction

• de Grift, regional Dutch institute for addiction

• TACTUS, regional Dutch institute for addiction

• Parnassia, regional Dutch institute for addiction

• National Support Centre for Prevention (T-i)

• Netherlands Institute for Care and Welfare (NIZW)

Target group Drankjewel.nlTarget group Drankjewel.nl

Children of parents with alcohol problemsChildren of parents with alcohol problems

yo u th s ite(1 2 -1 8)

a d u lts s ite(1 8 + )

H o m e pa geD ra n k je w e l

Characteristics of families with a Characteristics of families with a problem drinking parentproblem drinking parent

• alcohol problems are at the core of family lifealcohol problems are at the core of family life

• conducting tasks for ‘missing’ parentconducting tasks for ‘missing’ parent

• masking the problems & protecting the drinking parent masking the problems & protecting the drinking parent

• unpredictable social lifeunpredictable social life

• lack of proper physical carelack of proper physical care

• emotional neglectemotional neglect

• aggressionaggression

• sexual harassmentsexual harassment

Youth ProblemsYouth Problems

• severe psychological complaints: severe psychological complaints:

– depression depression

– eating disorderseating disorders

– behavioural disordersbehavioural disorders

– delinquencydelinquency

• increased risks for alcohol problems (starting during adolescence)increased risks for alcohol problems (starting during adolescence)

• sleeping disorders and bed wettingsleeping disorders and bed wetting

• decreased school performancedecreased school performance

• physical complaintsphysical complaints

• causes: genetic disposition, personal traits & environmentcauses: genetic disposition, personal traits & environment

• but: protective factorsbut: protective factors

Problems for adults when compared with Problems for adults when compared with adults from non-problem drinking familiesadults from non-problem drinking families

• increased risk for problem drinking increased risk for problem drinking

• difficulties with relationships & intimacy difficulties with relationships & intimacy

• weak communication skillsweak communication skills

• low self-esteemlow self-esteem

• more often a partner with problem drinking behaviourmore often a partner with problem drinking behaviour

Target groupTarget group

• 1 out of 12 adults in the Netherlands has (or had) a 1 out of 12 adults in the Netherlands has (or had) a parent with an alcohol problem parent with an alcohol problem (Nemesis, 1997)(Nemesis, 1997)

approximately 300.000 childrenapproximately 300.000 children

• in 2 out of 3 cases: fatherin 2 out of 3 cases: father

• in 1 out of 3 cases: motherin 1 out of 3 cases: mother

• sometimes both parentssometimes both parents

Why Drankjewel.nl?Why Drankjewel.nl?

• limited availability of low threshold interventions for limited availability of low threshold interventions for COAP’s COAP’s

• the need for information, advice & anonymity for the need for information, advice & anonymity for childrenchildren

• Internet is an adequate medium to offer low threshold Internet is an adequate medium to offer low threshold interventions interventions

• Internet is able to access hidden target populationsInternet is able to access hidden target populations

• Internet access: 95% of adolescents & 70% of the Internet access: 95% of adolescents & 70% of the general populationgeneral population

What does Drankjewel.nl offer?What does Drankjewel.nl offer?

– information & adviceinformation & advice

– recognitionrecognition

– contact: forum, e-mail and chat servicecontact: forum, e-mail and chat service

– designdesign

– languagelanguage

– contentcontent

youth adults

All about alcohol use

Facts about COAP’s

How are you doing?

What to do?

- Links- FAQ’s

- Reading tips

Stories ofothers

What to do?

1.You can’t save your parents2.Talk about it3. Seek information4. Do things you like5. Write down your feelings6. Do you worry about your siblings?

Looking back

Looking back

1. Your childhood2. What was it like back than?3. A drinking mother of father4. What do children need?5. How do children react toalcohol problems at home?

Pilot ImplementationPilot Implementation

• May - October 2003May - October 2003

• Interactive functionality'sInteractive functionality's

– user forum (Tactus & NIGZ)user forum (Tactus & NIGZ)

– Question & Answer (NIGZ & de Grift)Question & Answer (NIGZ & de Grift)

– chat with a professional (Jellinek)chat with a professional (Jellinek)

• process evaluation, content management & process evaluation, content management & maintenance (Trimbos-institute)maintenance (Trimbos-institute)

User forumUser forum

Question & Answer (e-mail)Question & Answer (e-mail)

Thank you for your attention.Thank you for your attention.