Alcoholism and family relations

The purpose of this study was to build upon a conceptual model of the alcoholic family system. The variables investigated were: differentiation of self, as represented by quantity and quality of involvement with family of origin; and nuclear family structure, as represented by hierarchy and primary coalition types. These variables were chosen in order to provide some theoretical understanding of how alcoholism is both maintained and transmitted by family systems. Forty-two families in which the father was an alcoholic took part in this study. Both the alcoholics and their spouses completed an abbreviated form of the Personal Authority in the Family System Questionnaire (PAFS-Q), the Family of Origin Involvement Questionnaire, and the Madanes Family Hierarchy Test. At least one child from each family also completed the Madanes Family Hierarchy Test. Chi-square test results indicated that these families reported significant amounts of hierarchy reversal, nonmarital primacy, and nonaverage contact with family of origin. When compared to norm group scores on the PAFS-Q, alcoholic subjects and their spouses indicated more nuclear family triangulation, intergenerational fusion, and intergenerational triangulation. Pearson Product-Moment Correlation results indicated that nuclear family triangulation was related to intergenerational fusion, presence of hierarchy reversal, and nonmarital primacy. For alcoholics only, more time spent recovering, more contact with parents, nonmarital primacy, and more intergenerational triangulation were related. These study results were interpreted as supporting a developmental model for the maintenance and transmission of alcoholism in the family. Clinical implications include the necessity of doing family of origin work with alcoholic families as well as the importance of including as many members as are willing in family therapy.

Name thesis:degree_name

Ph. D.

Level thesis:degree_level

doctoral

Discipline thesis:degree_discipline

Family and Child Development

Department dc:contributor.department

Family and Child Development

Grantor dc:publisher

Virginia Polytechnic Institute and State University

Year dc:date.issued

1987

Author dc:creator

• Lipscomb, Abigail Allen

Chair dc:contributor.committeechair

• Keller, James F.

Committee members dc:contributor.committeemember

• Protinsky, Howard O.
• Cross, Lawrence H.
• Sporakowski, Michael J.
• Blieszner, Rosemary

Statement dc:rights

• In Copyright

Licence dc:rights.uri

• http://rightsstatements.org/vocab/InC/1.0/

Language dc:language.iso

en_US

Handle dc:identifier.uri

http://hdl.handle.net/10919/77825

OAI identifier oai:identifier

oai:vtechworks.lib.vt.edu:10919/77825