The intent of this article is to offer practical suggestions for families and clinicians based on comments made by children who have experienced disclosure of a parent's addiction.

What and how should children be told of their parent's sexually addictive behavior? How does disclosure impact the parent-child relationship? Do children want to be told and if so, what age is appropriate for the disclosure? Are there protective factors, such as a therapist's presence, that promote healthy disclosure? How much information should be shared?
The authors are involved in ongoing research to investigate the impact of disclosure to children of a parent's sexually addictive behavior. Participants of the study are males and females over age 13 who have a parent who has acted out sexually and is in a recovery process. While the research continues to be gathered and analyzed, the authors are using information from the survey to guide clinicians in assisting families struggling with this issue.
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