The Impact of Substance Use Disorders on Families and Children

Previous research has shown that children of parents with an SUD were found to be of lower socioeconomic status and had more difficulties in academic, social, and family functioning when compared with children of parents who do not have an SUD. These children are also more likely to have higher rates of mental and behavioral disorders. Children who are exposed to a parent with SUDs are more likely to develop SUD symptoms themselves.

Based on combined 2009 to 2014 NSDUH data, an annual average of 8.7 million children aged 17 or younger live in households in the United States with at least one parent who had an SUD. This represents about 12.3 percent of children aged 17 or younger who resided with at least one parent with an SUD. An annual average of 1.5 million children aged 0 to 2 (12.8 percent of this age group), 1.4 million children aged 3 to 5 (12.1 percent of this age group), 2.8 million children aged 6 to 11 (11.8 percent of this age group), and 3.0 million children aged 12 to 17 (12.5 percent of this age group) lived with at least one parent who had an SUD.

Data can also be examined by household composition (i.e., two-parent or single-parent households). It should be noted that, for two-parent households, it is not possible to determine whether both parents in the household had SUD. About 7.0 million children aged 17 or younger resided in a two-parent household with at least one parent who had a past year SUD, and 1.7 million resided in a single-parent household with a parent who had a past year SUD. In other words, 13.9 percent of children residing in two-parent households lived with at least one parent who had a past year SUD, and 8.4 percent of children residing in single-parent households lived with a parent who had an SUD. Among the 1.7 million children residing in single-parent households with a parent who had a past year SUD, about 344,000 lived with their fathers and 1.4 million lived with their mothers. Thus, about 11.8 percent of children residing in father-only households lived with a father who had a past year SUD, and 7.8 percent of children residing in mother-only households lived with a mother who had a past year SUD.

Alcohol use disorder includes drinking-related behavior that may cause people to physically endanger themselves or others; get into trouble with the law; experience difficulties in relationships or jobs; and fail to fulfill major obligations at work, school, or home. Previous research has found that children of parents with an alcohol use disorder are at greater risk for depression, anxiety disorders, problems with cognitive and verbal skills, and parental abuse or neglect. Furthermore, they are 4 times more likely than other children to develop symptoms of an alcohol use disorder themselves.

Overall, about 7.5 million (10.5 percent) children aged 17 or younger lived in households with at least one parent who had an alcohol use disorder. An annual average of 1.2 million children aged 0 to 2 (10.1 percent of this age group), 1.2 million children aged 3 to 5 (9.9 percent of this age group), 2.4 million children aged 6 to 11 (10.2 percent of this age group), and 2.7 million children aged 12 to 17 (11.3 percent of this age group) lived with at least one parent who had an alcohol use disorder.

About 6.1 million children aged 17 or younger resided in a two-parent household with at least one parent who had an alcohol use disorder, and 1.4 million children resided in a single-parent household with at least one parent who had an alcohol use disorder. In other words, about 12.1 percent of children residing in two-parent households lived with at least one parent who had a past year alcohol use disorder, and 6.7 percent of children residing in single-parent households lived with a parent who had an alcohol use disorder. Among the 1.4 million children residing in single-parent households with a parent who had an alcohol use disorder, 273,000 lived with their fathers and 1.1 million lived with their mothers. About 9.3 percent of children residing in father-only households lived with a father who had an alcohol use disorder, and 6.3 percent of children residing in mother-only households lived with a mother who had an alcohol use disorder.

Previous research has shown that children of parents who have an illicit drug use disorder are at higher risk for mental and behavioral disorders and functional impairments than children of parents with alcohol use disorder. Estimates of the number of children living with at least one parent who had an SUD are needed for adult prevention efforts and programs that support and protect affected children.

Based on combined 2009 to 2014 NSDUH data, 2.1 million (2.9 percent) children aged 17 or younger lived in households with at least one parent who had a past year illicit drug use disorder. An annual average of 464,000 children aged 0 to 2 (4.0 percent of this age group), 413,000 children aged 3 to 5 (3.5 percent of this age group), 718,000 children aged 6 to 11 (3.0 percent of this age group), and 500,000 children aged 12 to 17 (2.1 percent of this age group) lived with at least one parent with an illicit drug use disorder. Because of the methodology used to calculate the number of children living with a parent with a past year illicit drug use disorder, it is not possible to determine whether there were significant variations by age group.

About 1.6 million children aged 17 or younger resided in a two-parent household with at least one parent who had an illicit drug use disorder, and about 538,000 children resided in a single-parent household with a parent who had an illicit drug use disorder. In other words, about 3.1 percent of children residing in two-parent households lived with at least one parent who had a past year illicit drug use disorder, and 2.6 percent of children residing in single-parent households lived with a parent who had an illicit drug use disorder. Among the 538,000 children residing in single-parent households with a parent who had an illicit drug use disorder, 111,000 lived with their fathers and 427,000 lived with their mothers. About 3.8 percent of children residing in father-only households lived with a father who had an illicit drug use disorder, and 2.4 percent of children residing in mother-only households lived with a mother who had an illicit drug use disorder.