Responsible 

Fatherhood 

Spotlight 

March 2008 

Take Time to Be a Dad Today 

National Responsible Fatherhood Clearinghouse  101 Lake Forest Boulevard, Suite 360  Gaithersburg, MD 20877  

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Fathers and Alcohol Abuse 

Alcohol abuse has negative consequences for men’s health, their relationships with their partners, and 

their children’s well-being. Alcohol abuse rates for men declined in the late 1980s, but increased between 

1990 and 2000. 

Definitions 

The National Institute on Alcohol Abuse and Alcoholism defines alcohol abuse according to the DSM-IV 

classification of substance abuse.i

 Under this definition, alcohol abuse is described as a pattern of 

drinking that results in failure to fulfill responsibilities, drinking in dangerous situations, legal problems 

associated with alcohol abuse, and continued drinking despite problems related to imbibing. Individuals 

who abuse alcohol are not necessarily alcoholics. The distinction between alcohol abuse and alcoholism 

is that the latter condition also includes a strong craving for or physical dependence on alcohol, the 

inability to limit drinking, and the need to increase the amount of alcohol in order to feel effects.ii In 

general, when a person’s use of alcohol is negatively affecting his or her ability to function as a member 

of society, it is a sign of abuse. 

Importance and Implications of Alcohol Abuse 

Alcohol abuse clearly can harm the individual abuser. However, research suggests that fathers’ abuse of 

alcohol can also affect relationships with their partners and the well-being of their children. 

Implications for Fathers 

• The biological effects of alcohol are well documented. In the short-term, alcohol use can lead to 

aggressive behavior, impaired judgment and coordination, nausea, and vomiting. Prolonged 

alcohol use can damage vital organs, including the brain and liver. Long-term alcohol 

consumption also can lead to withdrawal symptoms, such as anxiety, hallucinations, and 

convulsions.iii

• Alcohol has been shown to affect the male reproductive system in numerous ways. Alcohol 

abuse can reduce testosterone production and cause the testes to atrophy. These conditions can 

result in impotence, infertility, and decreased secondary sex characteristics, such as reduced 

body hair, breast enlargement, and a transfer of fat from the abdomen to the hip area. Men’s 

moderate and heavy alcohol consumption histories have been associated with irregularity in 

sperm, including reduced sperm count, altered sperm shapes, and abnormal sperm motility. The 

pituitary gland’s and hypothalamus’ production of important hormones has been shown to 

decrease or become altered as a result of alcohol consumption.iv

Implications for Father’s Involvement with Children 

• Alcohol abuse among fathers has been shown to be associated with negative father-infant 

interactions. Alcoholic fathers show lower levels of sensitivity, positive expression, and 

verbalization, and higher negative expression, when compared with nonalcoholic fathers. Infants 

of alcoholic fathers also show lower responsiveness than do infants of nonalcoholic fathers.v

• Alcohol abuse can work together with other factors to indirectly contribute to child abuse. 

Stressful marital relationships caused by substance abuse increase the risk of child abuse, 

especially in cases it which spousal abuse also is present .vi,vii It is possible that low 
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socioeconomic status can contribute to and work together with alcohol abuse, which, in turn, can 

result in child abuse. viii,ix,x

• Parental alcohol abuse has also been shown to be linked with childhood sexual abuse. One study 

found that men’s and women’s childhood sexual abuse was associated with a family history of 

alcoholism.xi Child sexual abusers are often not the alcohol-abusing parent. This fact raises the 

possibility that parental alcohol use and abuse may leave children more susceptible to sexual 

abuse from others because of a lack of support and protection from the alcohol-abusing 

parent.xii,xiii 

Implications for Father’s Spouses/Partners 

• A father’s relationship with his spouse or partner can suffer as a result of substance abuse. 

Alcohol abuse has been associated with marital stress, as well as with spousal abuse.xiv These 

low-quality relationships have potential to also harm the child in the household. 

Trends in Alcohol Abuse Over Time 

Alcohol abuse is often measured by binge drinking. The National Institute on Alcohol Abuse and 

Alcoholism defines binge drinking as having five or more drinks at the same occasion.xv The institute 

uses binge drinking as a measurement of alcohol abuse because it meets the requirement of abuse due 

to the harm that it causes individuals.xvi

Figure 1 and Table 1 show that the percentage of males’ reporting binge drinking over the past 30 days 

decreased through the late 1980s and increased through the 1990s. Throughout the last two decades, 

males were consistently more likely to engage in binge drinking than were females. 

Figure 1. Percentage of Males and Females Age 12 and Over Reporting Binge Drinking in the Past 

30 Days, 1979-2000 

0

10

20

30

40

50

1979 1985 1990 1995 2000

Year

Percent

Male

Female

Source: National Survey on Drug Use and Health, 1979–2000. 
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Table 1. Percentage of Males and Females Age 12 and Over Reporting Binge Drinking in the Past 

30 Days, 1979-2000 

Year Males Females 

1979 27.6 7.9 

1985 30.3 9.2 

1990 21.3 6.9 

1995 23.8 8.5 

2000 26.9 12.6 

Source: National Survey on Drug Use and Health, 1979-2000 

Differences in Alcohol Use by Subgroup 

Differences by Sex 

Table 2 shows that males have higher proportions of reported binge drinking in the past 30 days than do 

females. Also, fathers have higher proportions of reported binge drinking than do mothers. 

Table 2. Percentage of Individuals Age 12 and Over Reporting Binge Drinking in the Past 30 Days 

by Sex, 2005 

 Nonparents Parents

Males 28.2 32.2 

Females 13.6 16.1 

Source: National Survey on Drug Use and Health, 2005 

Differences by Age 

Table 3 shows that fathers and nonfathers between the ages of 18 to 25 have the highest percentage of 

engagement in binge drinking over the past 30 days, compared with other age groups. Fathers between 

the ages of 12 and 17 have the lowest proportion of engagement in binge drinking. 

Table 3. Percentage of Males Reporting Binge Drinking in the Past 30 Days by Age, 2005 

Age Nonfathers Fathers

12-17 9.6 0.0 

18-25 50.4 45.5 

26-34 47.0 39.8 

35+ 22.7 28.7 

Source: National Survey on Drug Use and Health, 2005 

Differences by Education Level 

Table 4 shows that nonfathers with some college education have the highest reported percentage of 

binge drinking in the past 30 days. However, among fathers, those with a high school degree or less 

have the highest reported percentage of binge drinking. 
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Table 4. Percentage of Men Age 18 and Over Reporting Binge Drinking in the Past 30 Days 

by Education Level, 2005 

Education Level Nonfathers Fathers 

Less than HS 26.5 36.3 

HS Graduate 33.0 36.3 

Some College 37.9 33.8 

College 

Graduate 27.0 25.4 

Source: National Survey on Drug Use and Health, 2005 

Differences by Race/Ethnicity 

Table 5 shows that Hispanic fathers have the highest reported proportion of binge drinking in the past 30 

days. Fathers in each race/ethnic group have a higher reported percentage of binge drinking in the past 

30 days than do men who are not fathers. 

Table 5. Percentage of Males Age 12 and Over Reporting Binge Drinking in the Past 30 Days 

by Race/Ethnicity, 2005 

Race/Ethnicity Nonfathers Fathers

Non-Hispanic White 29.4 33.1 

Non-Hispanic Black 25 27.2 

Hispanic 27.8 36 

Other 20.8 22.1 

Source: National Survey on Drug Use and Health, 2005 

Differences by Marital Status 

Table 6 shows that never-married fathers and nonfathers have higher rates of reported binge drinking in 

the past 30 days than do with males of other marital statuses. 

Table 6. Percentage of Males Age 12 and Over Reporting Binge Drinking in the Past 30 days 

by Marital Status, 2005 

Marital Status Nonfathers Fathers

Married 20.1 30.5 

Divorced/ 

Separated 35.6 37.4 

Never Married 45.5 46.6 

Source: National Survey on Drug Use and Health, 2005 

Differences by Employment Status 

Table 7 shows that employed nonfathers have higher reported percentages of binge drinking in the past 

30 days than do employed fathers and unemployed men (both those who are fathers and those who are 

not.) 
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Table 7. Percentage of Males Age 12 and Over Reporting Binge Drinking in the Past 30 Days 

by Employment Status, 2005 

Employment 

Status Nonfathers Fathers

Employed 35.1 32.4 

Not Employed* 20.1 29.6 

Source: National Survey on Drug Use and Health, 2005 

*Does not include respondents in school 

Differences by Income Level 

Table 8 shows that fathers at an income level of $20,000 to $49,999 have the highest reported 

involvement in binge drinking in the past 30 days. 

Table 8. Percentage of Males Reporting Binge Drinking in the Past 30 Days by Income Level, 2005 

Family Income Nonfathers Fathers

Less than $20,000 28.8 30.2 

$20,000-49,999 29.2 36.5 

$50,000-74,999 26.5 30.5 

$75,000+ 27.6 30.6 

Source: National Survey on Drug Use and Health, 2005 

Resources 

• The National Institute on Alcohol Abuse and Alcoholism offers research and resources to help 

treat alcoholism and alcohol abuse: http://www.niaaa.nih.gov 

• The Partnership for a Drug Free America provides resources to help individuals with alcohol 

problems and information about recognizing alcohol problems, finding treatment, and making a 

recovery: http://www.drugfree.org/Intervention/ 

• The Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration supplies information on 

programs dealing with alcohol abuse and national statistics about alcohol use: 

http://www.samhsa.gov/ 

• The American Council on Alcoholism provides resources to identify alcoholism and steps to take to 

deal with alcohol problems: http://www.aca-usa.org/ 

Definitions and Measurement 

Prevalence of alcohol use among men and women over time was calculated based on results of the 

National Survey of Drug Use and Health (NSDUH). The results include data on binge drinking, which is 

defined by the National Institute on Alcohol Abuse and Alcoholism as the reported consumption of five or 

more drinks of alcoholic beverages on at least one occasion during the past month.xvii Binge drinking is 

used as a measurement of alcohol abuse because it meets the requirement of abuse due to the harm it 

causes to binge drinkers.xviii Fathers were defined in the NSDUH as males with one or more of their 

children under the age of 18 living in their household. Respondents were classified as employed if in the 

past week they had a full-time job, part-time job, or did not work in the past week, but did have a job. 

Data Limitations 

In 2002, the methodology changed in the NSDUH. Additions to the 2002 survey and future surveys 

include incentive payments for respondents, improved data collection quality control, and weighting based 

on the 2000 census. On the basis of these changes, response rates have increased. A panel of 

researchers and methodology experts recommended that surveys before 2002 should not be compared 

with surveys from 2002 and after.xix The NSDUH does not indicate if a father has children outside of his 

household. 
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Data Sources 

Tables and charts documenting substance and alcohol use among men were gathered from the NSDUH. 

Tables and charts were created from analysis using data from the NSDUH from the Substance Abuse 

and Mental Health Services Administration (SAMHSA), Office of Applied Studies Web site. The NSDUH 

is a survey of the general U.S. civilian population aged 12 and older. The achieved sample size for the 

2005 survey was 68,308 persons. Data on alcohol consumption were gathered from reports from the 

National Health Interview Survey, published by the National Institute on Alcohol Abuse and Alcoholism. 

References

 

i

Diagnostic and statistical manual of mental disorders. (1994).). Washington, DC: American Psychiatric Association. ii National Institute on Alcohol Abuse and Alcoholism. (1995). Diagnostic criteria for alcohol abuse and dependence - Alcohol Alert 

No. 30. Washington, D.C.: National Institutes of Health. iii Dorsey J, Larson H, & Segal J. (2006). Alcohol abuse and alcoholism: Signs, symptoms, effects and testing. iv Emanuele, M. A., & Emanuele, N. V. (1998). Alcohol's effects on male reproduction. Alcohol Health & Research World, 22(3), 195-

201. 

v

 Eiden, R. D., Chavez, F., & Leonard, K. E. (1999). Parent-infant interactions among families with alcoholic fathers. Development 

and Psychopathology, 11, 745-762. vi Miller, B. A., E. Maguin, et al. (1997). Alcohol, drugs, and violence in children's lives. Recent Developments in Alcoholism: Volume 

13 Alcohol and Violence. M. Galanter. New York, Plenum Press. 13: 357-385. vii Fleming, J., Mullen, P., & Bammer, G. (1997). A study of potential risk factors for sexual abuse in childhood. Child Abuse & 

Neglect, 21(1), 49-58. viii Widom, C. S., & Hiller-Sturmhofel, S. (2001). Alcohol abuse as a risk factor for and consequence of child abuse. Alcohol 

Research and Health, 25(1), 52-57. ix Miller, et al., 1997. 

x

 Harter, S. L., & Taylor, T. L. (2000). Parental alcoholism, child abuse, and adult adjustment. Journal of Substance Abuse, 11(1), 

31-44. 

xi Miller, et al., 1997. 

xii Vogeltanz, N. D., Wilsnack, S. C., Harris, T. R., Wilsnack, R. W., Wonderlich, S. A., & Kristjanson, A. F. (1999). Prevalence and 

risk factors for childhood sexual abuse in women: National survey findings. Child Abuse & Neglect, 23(6), 579-592. xiii Miller, et al., 1997. xiv Widom, et al., 2001. xv National Institute on Alcohol Abuse and Alcoholism. (2007, February, 2007). Percentage of adults who reported binge drinking by 

state and gender, BRFSS, 1984–2005. National Institutes of Health. Retrieved March 12, 2007, from 

http://www.niaaa.nih.gov/Resources/DatabaseResources/QuickFacts/Adults/brfss03.htm xvi Factsheet 20: Binge Drinking. (2003).). London: Alcohol Concern. xvii National Institute on Alcohol Abuse and Alcoholism. (2007, February, 2007). Percentage of adults who reported binge drinking by 

state and gender, BRFSS, 1984–2005. National Institutes of Health. Retrieved March 12, 2007, from the World Wide Web: 

http://www.niaaa.nih.gov/Resources/DatabaseResources/QuickFacts/Adults/brfss03.htm xviii Factsheet 20: Binge Drinking. (2003).). London: Alcohol Concern. xix Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration. (2005). Results from the 2004 National Survey on Drug Use and 

Health: National Findings. Washington, D.C.: Department of Health and Human Services.