Women, alcoholism, and family therapy

The effects of alcoholism may operate for women in two different ways: the impact of growing up in an alcoholic family &/or marrying a man who becomes alcoholic, & the impact of an alcoholic woman on her family of origin, her spouse, or her children. The effect on children has been assumed to be more damaging than paternal alcoholism but the data are ambiguous. In current family therapy, three models emerge: a disease model, a family systems approach, & a behavioral perspective. Techniques of family treatment vary with the stage of intervention: initial involvement, cessation of abusive drinking, & stabilization or maintenance of change. Clinical studies of family therapy with women who abuse alcohol have reported some success but are limited in the absence of matching control groups or in post-treatment follow-up. Although enthusiastic claims are made for the efficacy of family treatment of alcohol/drug abusing women, there are few empirical studies that examine or support such claims. Indeed, an examination of the literature suggests that family pressures to seek or maintain treatment are more problematic for women than for men. It is argued that family relationships & family stresses need to be evaluated before treatment plans are made. 55 References. Modified AA