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The Alcoholic Family at Home: Patterns of Interaction in Dry, Wet, and Transitional Stages of Alcoholism

The Alcoholic Family at Home: Patterns of Interaction in Dry, Wet, and Transitional Stages of... Abstract • Thirty-one alcoholic families were observed in their homes on nine separate occasions over a six-month period. During each occasion, behavioral observers made systematic recordings of interactional behavior using the Home Observation Assessment Method, a method that concentrates on the family's style of regulating its home environment. Three distinct patterns of home behavior could be identified using univariate and multivariate statistical analyses. Each pattern was associated with one of three "family alcohol phases": a stable wet, stable dry, or transitional phase. This suggests that these families manifest characteristic family-level patterns of behavior in their homes at different stages in the course of chronic alcoholism. The critical issue was the relative rigidity vs flexibility of behavior. Families in either stable wet and transitional phases proved to have rigid patterns of behavior; those in the stable dry phase had flexible patterns. The findings provide an initial insight into how families manage a chronic disease process in their home environment. References 1. Whitfield CL, Williams K: The Patient with Alcoholism and Other Drug Problems . Springfield, Ill, Southern Illinois University of Medicine, 1976. 2. Tinklenberg JR: Alcohol and violence , in Fox R, Bourne P (eds): Alcoholism: Progress in Research and Treatment . New York, Academic Press Inc, 1973. 3. Bailey MB, Haberman PW, Alksne H: Outcomes in alcoholic marriages: Endurance, termination or recovery . Q J Stud Alcohol 23:610-623, 1962. 4. Roman PM, Trice HM: Alcohol abuse and work organizations , in Kissin B, Begleiter H (eds): The Biology of Alcoholism: IV. Social Aspects of Alcoholism . New York, Plenum Press Inc, 1976. 5. Steinglass P, Davis DI, Berenson D: Observation of conjointly hospitalized "alcoholic couples" during sobriety and intoxication: Implications for theory and therapy . Fam Process 16:1-16, 1977.Crossref 6. Davis DI, Berenson D, Steinglass P, et al: The adaptive consequences of drinking . Psychiatry 37:209-215, 1974. 7. Steinglass P: A life history model of the alcoholic family . Fam Process 19:211-226, 1980.Crossref 8. Edwards P, Harvey C, Whitehead PC: Wives of alcoholics: A critical review and analysis . Q J Stud Alcohol 34:112-132, 1973. 9. Steinglass P, Weiner S, Mendelson JH: A systems approach to alcoholism: A model and its clinical application . Arch Gen Psychiatry 24:401-408, 1971.Crossref 10. Steinglass P: The Home Observation Assessment Method (HOAM): Real-time observations of families in their homes . Fam Process 18:337-354, 1979.Crossref 11. Swenson W, Morse R: The use of self-administered alcoholism screening test (SAAST) in a medical center . Mayo Clin Proc 50:204-208, 1973. 12. Goodwin DW, Schulsinger F, Moller N, et al: Drinking problem in adopted and nonadopted sons of alcoholics . Arch Gen Psychiatry 31:164-169, 1974.Crossref 13. Albon J: Family structure and behavior in alcoholism: A review of the literature , Kissin B, Begleiter H (eds): The Biology of Alcoholism: IV. Social Aspects of Alcoholism . New York, Plenum Press Inc, 1976. 14. Gerstel EK, Mason RE, Piserchia PV, et al: A Pilot Study of the Social Contest of Drinking and Correlates . Rockford, Md, National Institute on Alcohol Abuse and Alcoholism, 1975. 15. Nie NH, Hull GH, Jenkins JG, et al: SPSS: Statistical Package for the Social Sciences . New York, McGraw-Hill Book Co, 1975. 16. Steinglass P: Assessing the family in its own home. Read before the annual meeting of the American Psychiatric Association, Chicago, May 17, 1979. http://www.deepdyve.com/assets/images/DeepDyve-Logo-lg.png Archives of General Psychiatry American Medical Association

The Alcoholic Family at Home: Patterns of Interaction in Dry, Wet, and Transitional Stages of Alcoholism

Steinglass, Peter
Archives of General Psychiatry , Volume 38 (5) – May 1, 1981
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References (17)

Publisher
American Medical Association
Copyright
Copyright © 1981 American Medical Association. All Rights Reserved.
ISSN
0003-990X
eISSN
1598-3636
DOI
10.1001/archpsyc.1980.01780300090011
Publisher site
See Article on Publisher Site

Abstract

Abstract • Thirty-one alcoholic families were observed in their homes on nine separate occasions over a six-month period. During each occasion, behavioral observers made systematic recordings of interactional behavior using the Home Observation Assessment Method, a method that concentrates on the family's style of regulating its home environment. Three distinct patterns of home behavior could be identified using univariate and multivariate statistical analyses. Each pattern was associated with one of three "family alcohol phases": a stable wet, stable dry, or transitional phase. This suggests that these families manifest characteristic family-level patterns of behavior in their homes at different stages in the course of chronic alcoholism. The critical issue was the relative rigidity vs flexibility of behavior. Families in either stable wet and transitional phases proved to have rigid patterns of behavior; those in the stable dry phase had flexible patterns. The findings provide an initial insight into how families manage a chronic disease process in their home environment. References 1. Whitfield CL, Williams K: The Patient with Alcoholism and Other Drug Problems . Springfield, Ill, Southern Illinois University of Medicine, 1976. 2. Tinklenberg JR: Alcohol and violence , in Fox R, Bourne P (eds): Alcoholism: Progress in Research and Treatment . New York, Academic Press Inc, 1973. 3. Bailey MB, Haberman PW, Alksne H: Outcomes in alcoholic marriages: Endurance, termination or recovery . Q J Stud Alcohol 23:610-623, 1962. 4. Roman PM, Trice HM: Alcohol abuse and work organizations , in Kissin B, Begleiter H (eds): The Biology of Alcoholism: IV. Social Aspects of Alcoholism . New York, Plenum Press Inc, 1976. 5. Steinglass P, Davis DI, Berenson D: Observation of conjointly hospitalized "alcoholic couples" during sobriety and intoxication: Implications for theory and therapy . Fam Process 16:1-16, 1977.Crossref 6. Davis DI, Berenson D, Steinglass P, et al: The adaptive consequences of drinking . Psychiatry 37:209-215, 1974. 7. Steinglass P: A life history model of the alcoholic family . Fam Process 19:211-226, 1980.Crossref 8. Edwards P, Harvey C, Whitehead PC: Wives of alcoholics: A critical review and analysis . Q J Stud Alcohol 34:112-132, 1973. 9. Steinglass P, Weiner S, Mendelson JH: A systems approach to alcoholism: A model and its clinical application . Arch Gen Psychiatry 24:401-408, 1971.Crossref 10. Steinglass P: The Home Observation Assessment Method (HOAM): Real-time observations of families in their homes . Fam Process 18:337-354, 1979.Crossref 11. Swenson W, Morse R: The use of self-administered alcoholism screening test (SAAST) in a medical center . Mayo Clin Proc 50:204-208, 1973. 12. Goodwin DW, Schulsinger F, Moller N, et al: Drinking problem in adopted and nonadopted sons of alcoholics . Arch Gen Psychiatry 31:164-169, 1974.Crossref 13. Albon J: Family structure and behavior in alcoholism: A review of the literature , Kissin B, Begleiter H (eds): The Biology of Alcoholism: IV. Social Aspects of Alcoholism . New York, Plenum Press Inc, 1976. 14. Gerstel EK, Mason RE, Piserchia PV, et al: A Pilot Study of the Social Contest of Drinking and Correlates . Rockford, Md, National Institute on Alcohol Abuse and Alcoholism, 1975. 15. Nie NH, Hull GH, Jenkins JG, et al: SPSS: Statistical Package for the Social Sciences . New York, McGraw-Hill Book Co, 1975. 16. Steinglass P: Assessing the family in its own home. Read before the annual meeting of the American Psychiatric Association, Chicago, May 17, 1979.

Journal

Archives of General Psychiatry – American Medical Association

Published: May 1, 1981

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