Alcoholic-Spouse Interaction as a Function of Alcoholism Subtype and Alcohol Consumption Interaction

This study assessed the impact of alcoholism subtype on marital interaction, a research focus stimulated by the investigators' earlier findings linking drinking style with differential levels of marital satisfaction and stability. In the current effort, observations of 49 alcoholics and their wives were conducted during sessions when alcohol was consumed and during nondrinking sessions. Different patterns of interactions emerged for episodic and steady alcoholics. On the drink nights, episodic alcoholic couples evidenced less problem solving than did the steady alcoholic couples. Additionally, among episodic couples, the husbands were more negative on the drink nights than were the wives, whereas among steady couples, wives were more negative than were the alcoholic husbands. The interaction displayed by the episodic alcoholics and their spouses was suggestive of a coercive control pattern. In contrast, the steady alcoholic and his spouse displayed a pattern suggestive of high levels of problem solving. Further research is necessary to determine whether these two different interaction patterns are predictive of continued alcohol abuse or the exacerbation of marital problems.