The relationship of family dysfunction and parental alcoholism to object relations and reality testing in adult children of alcoholics
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Abstract
The purpose of this study was to investigate the role played by family dysfunction and severity of parental alcoholism upon the object relations and reality testing of adult children of alcoholics (ACOAs).
Participants included 172 students from Psychology and Sociology classes at an urban university. Forty-two of these students were assigned to the ACOA group based on a family a1coho11sm screening test. The remaining 130 constituted the comparison group. All students completed a Background Information Questionnaire, Bell Object Relations and Reality Testing Inventory, Family Adaptability and Cohesion Evaluation Scales III (modified), Michigan AlcohoHsm Screening Test (modified), Park Problem Drinking Questionnaire, and a Substance Abuse Background Inventory.
ACOAs did not display more impaired object relations than non-ACOAs. However, they did manifest more distortions in reality testing and did report more family dysfunction, particularly the greater the severity of family alcoholism, and family dissatisfaction. More generally, aspects of family dysfunction were correlated with impairment in object relations and reality testing for both ACOAs and non-ACOAs even after contro11ing for family alcoholism. Severity of family alcoholism was not correlated with Impairment In object relations or reality testing. Moreover, contrary to expectation, greatest impairment in object relations and reality testing was not found in ACOAs reporting a combination of the most severe family dysfunction and family alcoholism.
Exploratory questions revealed that ACOAs reported significantly more frequent family disruption events than non-ACOAs. ACOAs who did not report problems associated with parental alcoholism showed significantly greater distortions on aspects of reality testing than those who did report such problems. This suggests that problems in reality testing would also be reflected in distortions in one's perceptions of parental drinking as well. Neither seeking professional counseling nor age of onset of parental problem drinking was associated with impairment in object relations or reality testing In ACOAs. The personal drinking practices of ACOAs and non-ACOAs were also not significantly different.
Implications of these findings for both future research and clinical practice were discussed.
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Dissertation (Ph.D.)--Boston University
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