There are an estimated 26.8 million COAs in the United States. Preliminary research suggests that over 11 million are under the age of 18. There is strong, scientific evidence that alcoholism tends to run in families. Children of alcoholics are more at risk for alcoholism and other drug abuse than children of non-alcoholics. Children of alcoholics are four times more likely than non-COAs to develop alcoholism.
Genetic factors play a major role in the development of alcoholism.
There is an expanding base of literature which strongly supports a heritable basis for alcoholism and a range of family influences that may direct the development of children of alcoholics. Children's perceptions of parental drinking quantity and circumstances appear to influence their own drinking frequency. Children's alcohol expectancies reflect recognition of alcohol-related norms and a cognizance of parental drinking patterns by a very early age. Alcohol expectancies appear to be one of the mechanisms explaining the relationship between paternal alcoholism and heavy drinking among offspring during college. Parental alcoholism and other drug dependencies have an impact upon children's early learning about alcohol and other drugs.