The second edition of this text draws on research to include: a look at the issue of alcoholism from a systems perspective of family functioning; to place alcoholism in a larger cultural context; and to examine the effects of alcoholism on essential family processes.

First published in 1989 when the plight of children of alcoholics was initially brought to public attention, Working with Children of Alcoholics remains an essential tool for professionals that specifically addresses the needs of children growing up in alcoholic families.

Expanding from the original highly successful handbook, the Second Edition incorporates the latest research, including Rubin's pivotal work on transcendent children, Robinson and Rhoden place alcoholism in a larger North American cultural context. They examine the effects of alcoholism in four essential family tasks: creating an identity, setting boundaries, providing for physical needs, and managing the family's emotional climate. Further, using a socio-historical perspective as a backdrop, the authors examine American attitudes, values, and beliefs about alcohol use and abuse and discuss how these cultural influences affect our children.