Alcohol Dependency - Book Report/Review Example

For both sexes, birth and child rearing factors have been found to have inconsequential contribution to alcoholism. Maternal alcohol consumption, however, prove to be a considerable risk contributor especially for those exposed. Before we provide with the discussion, I would like to commend the researchers for taking on such a temporally lengthy task. Such studies require effort and determination all for the pursuit of science and betterment of humanity. Intuitively, one may think that there exists a relation between our personality and the environment that we live in.

Our actions, even our expressions, are influenced by other members of society. In fact, the complexities of individual - society interactions and the effects of culture have given rise to the field of Anthropology. The effects of biological factors are not new. In fact, we find many cultures such as the Nacirema, blaming their failures and misfortunes to the stresses they encounter during conception. Though we do not know how they remembered this, maybe by story related to them by their mothers, it only shows that the consideration of biological factors with respect to personality developments have existed even before this study came along.

The issue of 'nature' and 'nurture' have long been the focused of many debates. Is our personality determined by our biological traits or are we determined more by the environment that we live in Basically, one of the pathways researched is whether contraception problems experienced could lead to alcoholism. This is the biological part. But as it turned, it wasn't. Nevertheless, the research is commendable for establishing that such is the case. At least now we can confidently (to some degree) dispute that such claims are only imaginary though we still have to wait other studies that can duplicate the results.

The inclusion of maternal alcoholism is also one of the strengths of the study. Mothers generally influence their children for they are the ones whom the children identify the most. This is attributed to the fact that since birth, the mothers have been by their side. The mother is expected to be the role model, a guide to the developing mind. As such, we may claim (though this should be further tested scientifically) to some degree that they can determine the personality of the child. This is the focus of another pathway researched in this study: does a drinking mother produce a drinking offspring For the study, the answer turns out to be a statistically yes proving that there is indeed at relationship.

As already pointed out in the discussion part, the drinking of alcohol by the mother provides opportunities such as ease of access and justification. Childhood factors such as rearing practices by the mother were also included in the study. We may think of a child having traumatic experiences and resorting to alcoholism as an expression of rebellion. Nonetheless, the study showed no statistical significance. In this regard, I am still doubtful for I still believe that such is the case as I have seen from friends and acquaintances of mine.

Maybe the study should have included more periods of research as to determine if this is the case or should have lengthen the study period ( greater than 21 years). Other factors such as paternal drinking and peer to peer socialization