University of Massachusetts Amherst ScholarWorks@UMass Amherst Doctoral Dissertations 1896 - February 2014 1-1-1983 The alcoholic family and larger systems : a systemic assessment of interactional patterns and metaphoric communication. Dusty, Miller University of Massachusetts Amherst Follow this and additional works at: https://scholarworks.umass.edu/dissertations_1 Recommended Citation Miller, Dusty,, "The alcoholic family and larger systems : a systemic assessment of interactional patterns and metaphoric communication." (1983). Doctoral Dissertations 1896 - February 2014. 2208. https://scholarworks.umass.edu/dissertations_1/2208 This Open Access Dissertation is brought to you for free and open access by ScholarWorks@UMass Amherst. It has been accepted for inclusion in Doctoral Dissertations 1896 - February 2014 by an authorized administrator of ScholarWorks@UMass Amherst. For more information, please contact [email protected]. THE ALCOHOLIC FAMILY AND LARGER SYSTEMS: A SYSTEMIC ASSESSMENT OF INTERACTIONAL PATTERNS AND METAPHORIC COMMUNICATION A Dissertation Presented By DUSTY MILLER Submitted to the Graduate School of the University of Massachusetts in partial fulfillment of the requirements for the degree of DOCTOR OF EDUCATION May 1 983 Education Dusty Miller © All Rights Reserved THE ALCOHOLIC FAMILY AND LARGER SYSTEMS: A SYSTEMIC ASSESSMENT OF INTERACTIONAL PATTERNS AND METAPHORIC COMMUNICATION A Dissertation Presented By DUSTY MILLER Approved as to style and content by: Evan Imber Coppersmith, Chairperson of Committee Charlotte Rahaim, Member Theodore Slovin, Member Hariharan Swaminathan, Department Head School of Education i i i . ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS I would like to thank my teacher and mentor, Dr. Evan Irnber Coppersmith for her professional support, personal encouragement and endless challenges provided over the past three years. I would also like to thank Dr. Charlotte Rahaim, Dr. Theodore Slovin and Dr. Jack Wideman who have each generously contributed to this project and to my experience in the University of Massachu- setts doctoral program. I could not have written this dissertation or achieved any of the professional goals which made my work at this University worth- while without the friendship and clinical contributions of Sergio Pi rotta Toni Towson, Jane Martel and Pauline Ashby deserve more thanks than I can begin to express for their wisdom and good humor in he! pi me through the initiation rites of the dissertation experience. There are many friends who have believed in and supported me through this project. I would like to thank Carol Morgan especially for believing that I could do this a long time before I did and for already offering her belief in and support for the next project... , For my parents Anne Miller and "Nod" Miller - (1911 1977 ) with gratitude for their unfailing love and support v ABSTRACT THE ALCOHOLIC FAMILY AND LARGER SYSTEMS: A SYSTEMIC ASSESSMENT OF INTERACTIONAL PATTERNS AND METAPHORIC COMMUNICATION (May, 1983) Dusty Miller, B. A., Cornell University M. A., Goddard College, Ed. D., University of Massachusetts Directed by: Professor Evan Imber Coppersmith This study investigated transactional patterns of the supra sys- tem formed by the mul ti generational alcoholic family and relevant lar- ger systems. Four such systems were studied, using a case study method. Conjoint family interviews were videotaped and analyzed by the researcher and two raters, according to a systemic assessment for- mat focusing on family rules, myths, and metaphoric communication. The study approached a social system inclusive of, yet more com- plex than, the nuclear family. Exploring and describing the alcoholic supra system formed by the alcoholic family and relevant larger sys- tems provided an interactional perspective of the problem drinker's involvement with his entire ecosystem. Structural and systemic family theory provided a context for approaching the pervasive clinical pro- blem of the mul ti generati on alcoholic family system which has not been successfully helped through traditional alcohol treatment models. Analysis of the data indentified interactional trends common to vi all four systems concerning family meta rules, myths and metaphoric communications. These trends, addressing the family's stance in relation to extended family, social network and larger "helping" systems, suggested a prevalence of intense involvement with outsiders, involving a primary focus of organization around the family's need to retain locus of control within the family. Drinking appeared to serve a transgenerational function as a metaphor for the family's relation- ship to larger systems. The sociocultural context for the four supra systems was viewed as significant in determining sex-role expectations affecting the families' relation to larger systems. Chronicity and recidivism were discussed as hypotheti cally related to the historically neglected recognition of the fami ly-1 arger system supra system as the signifi- cant treatment unit. Suggestions were made for future research and for clinical inter- ventions which would adhere to the systemic Milan approach in approach- ing family rules and secrets. The use of metaphor was suggested as the most viable approach in both assessing and intervening in systems of this sort. TABLE OF CONTENTS ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS .... in DEDICATION1. ABSTRACT . v Chapter THE PROBLEM ] Statement of the Problem 1 Significance of the Problem 2 Purpose of the Study !!!.'!!!’ ’ 9 Limitations of the Study * ’ ’ Delimitations of the Study * n Definition of Terms 12 II. LITERATURE REVIEW 16 Introduction 15 Section I: Overview of Family Therapy Theory 17 Introduction 17 A. Structural/Hierarchical 21 B. Balancing/Homeostatic 31 C. Spiral/Evolutionary 42 Section IT: General Overview of Alcohol Studies 49 Historical context 49 Research trends 54 The alcoholic's spouse 56 Children of alcoholics 58 The female alcoholic 59 Sociocultural factors im the alcoholic family .... 61 Genetic determinants in alcoholic family studies ... 63 Family systems approaches to problem drinking 65 Summary and conclusions 70 III. METHODOLOGY 74 Description of Research Methodology 74 Selection of Subjects 77 Data Collection 79 Data Analysis 84 vi i i Chapter IV. DATA ANALYSIS 87 Introduction 87 Contextual meaning of the research 87 Contextual levels of the interviews 88 Role of the research assistant * 89 Organization of the data 90 Population ’ Jarvik Family 91 93 Referral context ’ ‘ ‘ ‘ * 93 Description of the family 95 Interview context History 96 of drinking and involvement with larger systems 99 Family rules 109 Family myths 111 Recursive loops 116 Metaphoric communication 120 Summary 124 Green Family 126 Description of the family 126 Interview context 130 Referral 130 Interview setting 132 Drinking hi story/i nvol vement with larger systems 133 Family rules, myths and metaphoric communication 144 Summary 149 Laporte ’ Family 151 Description * of the family 151 Referral context 153 Interview context 155 Drinking history/involvement with larger systems 156 Rules, myths and metaphoric communication . , . 163 Summary 166 Sullivan Family 167 Description of the family 167 Referral context 170 Interview context 171 Drinking history/involvement * with larger systems . 172 Family rules, myths and metaphorical communication 180 Summary 182 Integration of the Data 183 Demographic commonalities 183 Developmental stage 184 ix Reported involvement with larger systems Involvement 187 with A. A. /A1 -Anon~ . 189 Function of the symptom 190 Family myths and rules ’ Secrets 192 193 Relevance of the interview context . Summary 194 196 V. SUMMARY 199 Conclusions 203 Comparison of the findings in relation to Steinglass et al 203 Comparison of the findings in relation to ecosystemic theorists 206 Chronicity and recidivism 208 Implications for clinical practice 210 Research concerns and suggestions for future research 214 REFERENCES 218 APPENDICES 226 x . CHAPTER I THE PROBLEM Statement of the Problem The defined problem of this exploration was an interactional systems perspective on alcoholic families in relation to "larger sys- tems." The study attempted to provide a circular, blamefree under- standing of: the interactional patterns within nuclear families where alcohol abuse has been a mul ti generational problem- and the interac- tional patterns connecting such families with such larger systems as the extended family, social network and professional resource network. The study investigated the family structure and transactional patterns of four families in which alcohol abuse has been the primary organizing principle (Steinglass, 1979) in the extended family. Family rules, myths, and metaphoric communications were analyzed in develop- ing hypotheses regarding the family's stance in relation to larger systems This was an exploratory and descriptive investigation, employing the case study method. It is suggested that this in-depth study of a small sample of multigenerational alcoholic families has generated hy- potheses which may be useful in future research and in the development of new assessment tools and clinical interventions. 1 2 Significance of the Problem Estimates of how many adults in the J.S. today are addicted to alcohol range anywhere from nine million to 15 million or more. Teen- age alcohol abuse, drunken driving, job absenteeism and/or poor job performance due to alcoholism and alcohol-related domestic violence (physical and psychological abuse of both children and adults) are all leading public issues.