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The impact of alcoholism on the family: A study of interaction within six families, their attitudes and feelings towards a father who is alcoholic

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The impact of alcoholism on the family: A study of interaction within six families, their attitudes and feelings towards a father who is alcoholic

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Content THE IMPACT OF ALCOHOLISM ON THE FAMILY: A STUDY OF
ft
INTERACTION WITHIN SIX FAMILIES, THEIR ATTITUDES
AND FEELINGS TOWARDS A FATHER WHO IS ALCOHOLIC
by
E*Lane Mary Kocol
A Thesis Presented to the
FACULTY OF THE SCHOOL OF SOCIAL WORE
y
UNIVERSITY OF SOUTHERN CALIFORNIA
In Partial Fulfillment of the
Requirements for the Degree
MASTER OF SOCIAL WORK
June 1 9 6 1
L
UMI Number: EP66783
All rights reserved
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UMI EP66783
Published by ProQuest LLC (2014). Copyright in the Dissertation held by the Author.
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This thesis, w ritten under the direction of the
candidate’s F acu lty Com m ittee and approved
by a ll its members, has been presented to and
accepted by the F a cu lty of the School of Social
W o rk in p a rtia l fu lfilm e n t o f the requirements
fo r the degree of
MASTER OF SOCIAL WORK
Dean
Date JyneJL961_
Them
Faculty Cojmmttee
Chairman
TABLE ©F CONTENTS
Chapter Page
I. INTRODUCTION ................ ...... 1
Purpose
Setting
Study Design
II. ANALYSIS OF MATERIAL
Description of Wives
When the Problem was First Discovered-
How Patient Acted
Reaction of Wives
Reaction of Children
Economic Effects
Social Relationships
Additional Information
III. SUMMARY AND IMPLICATIONS.........
BIBLIOGRAPHY........... 36
APPENDIXES .................... ......... 39
ii
CHAPTER I
INTRODUCTION
' Purpose
This study was undertaken to obtain a clearer
j picture of the family of an alcoholic. Little has been
written on the subject and it is believed that research
of this type will be of value to the field of Social Work
for the following reasons:
1. As social workers who deal continually with
individuals who are members of a family group,
an understanding of the kind of interaction
that occurs among them is important. This is
especially true of the alcoholic since the
behavior of such a person is unpredictable in
terms of his emotional highs and lows.
2. It is also important to understand the behav
ioral pattern of those closest to the
alcoholic. Social workers can be sure that
they react to the situation but may not be
aware of how and for what reason.
3. These findings could assist the individual
2
social worker in making a diagnosis and sub
sequent treatment plan.
In such an undertaking the dimensions of diagnostic
thinking are expanded beyond the limits of the
internal economy of personality so as to embrace
three interrelated sets of processes: (l) what goes
on inside the individual, (2) what goes on between
the individual and other significant family members,
(3) the psychosocial pattern of the family as a
whole.1
This means that in order to present an adequate picture
of an alcoholic and his family one must understand the
characteristics of the alcoholic personality itself, what
made him this way and why. What type of person did the
alcoholic marry? Is there anything characteristic in
the makeup of the mate of an alcoholic? What kind of
interaction occurs between the alcoholic, the spouse and
the children, and finally what is the result of this
interaction on the family as a whole?
Setting
As a means of learning more about the impact of
alcoholism on the family, women were chosen whose husbands
were patients in the Veterans Administration Hospital,
Sepulveda, California. This hospital provides services
! to veterans in the areas of Medicine, Surgery, Neurology,
Psychiatry, Dentistry, Psychology, Physical Medicine,
^Nathan W. Ackerman, The Psychodynamics of Family
Life (New York: Basic Books, Inc., 1959)^ p. Bl.
3
Rehabilitation, and Social Work. It is a general hospital
with a medical and psychiatric unit. The treatment and
care of the patients, whose wives were interviewed, is
carried out in the psychiatric unit. Here the team
approach is used. Those representing the team include:
the psychiatrist, the psychologist, the social worker,
the nurse, and the ward aide. Use of psychiatric consul
tation is made whenever the need is indicated. The con
sultants are well known doctors from the community who are
recognized as experts in the field of Psychiatry.
The social worker’s responsibility consists of
! participation with the team members, in sharing informa
tion regarding the patient as well as his family. This
! means that the worker defines, through the social study
process, problems relating to the patient in his social
situation, both in and out of the hospital. In relation
to the family, the task involves dealing with their pres
ent and anticipated anxieties.
The worker is also able to offer casework service
to the patient and his family on a continuing basis,
; assist in discharge planning and, if necessary, make
I referrals to other agencies within the community. It
should be noted here that the hospital accepts patients
in the psychiatric unit with emotional problems and not
for alcoholism per se. Thus, these men who were
4
hospitalized were emotionally unstable with the additional
problem of alcoholism. It had not been determined in
diagnosis whether alcohol was a precipitating factor in
the patient’s emotional imbalance or whether the imbalance
itself brought about the need for excessive consumption of
alcoholic beverages. It should also be noted that the
hospital has made available to the patients the services |
of Alcoholics Anonymous. |
I
I
Study Design
I
j As a means of studying the impact of alcoholism
I on the family, six wives of patients with an alcoholic
I
I problem were interviewed. Tbe following stipulations j
I were considered in their selection: (l) the age range of |
' both husband and wife should fall between thirty and
forty-nine years, and (2) the number of children should
be no less than two. The rationale for these stipulations
, was seen in a need to study the years considered to be the '
most active and productive of family life. It was
believed, with reference to the children, that they would
reflect problems existing presently in the home. Having
i
' at least two children represented, a better perspective j
I I
I could be achieved as the wives interpreted their actions. |
I j
For example, she might be more positive than speculative !
I
in making a judgment as to why her children reacted in a '
5
specific way. Perhaps the father could have provoked !
certain behavior in one child but not in another. Such I
!
identification would be significant in terms of the |
j implications of the research. |
j There was no limit on the length of time alcohol- |
ism was a problem. The fact that these men were |
hospitalized indicated a serious problem existed.
I
' Four of the six families studied were brought to i
I I
I the researcher’s attention by the social worker on the '
Admissions Ward, who was aware of the criteria which had
I been set up at an early date. As the records were
I observed and the wives interviewed, the wives were |
I referred to the researcher as possible candidates for the '
I i
study. Two other social workers presented the remaining
two wives as candidates, having also been appraised of
the criteria for prospective candidates. All of the
I
I interviewees were informed of the purpose of the interview
i
' and were free to accept or reject the request for their
I I
: participation. The purpose was explained simply. The
I researcher wanted to know how it had been for the wife to I
live with a man who had had a problem with alcohol. Her
explanation would help social workers to deal more ade
quately with the families of other patients with a
similar problem.
6
; These wives were free to tell their husbands
about the study if they wished, but direct permission was
not requested of the husband. Before each interview,
! which was arranged by the aforementioned social workers,
an appointment was made. On that date a wife was pre
sented to the researcher by the social worker and the
interview followed in one of the interview rooms allotted
I to Social Service within the hospital building.
The method of inquiry was that of an exploratory
study of the family life of six alcoholic patients. One
; schedule was prepared which included questions designed
to secure pertinent information regarding childhood
experiences of both patient and wife, present family life,
and to note especially what the wives felt to be the
problems which affected the patients adversely.^ The
interview was not highly structured since the wives were
able to verbalize freely and to cover the material ade
quately. It was hoped(that these interviews would show
the impact of the alcoholic‘s behavior on his family as
seen through the eyes of his wife.
There is no ideally healthy family. Families are
either predominantly healthy or predominantly sick,
psychiatrically speaking. Moving one step further,
it is possible to distinguish in a given family some
components of family functioning that are mainly
healthy and others that are mainly disabled.
^See Appendix I.
let us think of sick families as those which pro
gressively fail to carry out their essential family
functions.3
Dr. Âckérman's quotation was deemed important to this
research problem since the researcher wondered whether
these families would be found sick and immobilized by the
problem of alcoholism or functioning on à fairly healthy
level despite the problem.
Confidentiality of the material was maintained
and family names were disguised. The patients* detailed
health records and progress notes were not used, although
they were reviewed before or just after the interview.
The purpose of this was to acquaint the researcher with
the general patient-family situation. I
The central focus of the study was in determining
the family pathology. The interpersonal relationships in
the family pointed up the pathology, I
Chapter II of this study presents a brief descrip- |
tion of each of the wives interviewed. Following this, |
there is presented a description of similarities and dif- ■
ferenees in the material which was the result of these
interviews. Included is an analysis of the problem and
when it was first recognized, a description of the
behavioral patterns of the spouses with examples for
________________, I
3Ackerman, o£. cit., p. 99. |
8
emphasis, the reaction of the wives to this behavior,
reactions of the children, the economic effect as a
j result of the problem, family activities, social rela-
I
tionships, and a description of present feelings toward
the patient on the part of the wives and the children.
CHAPTER II
ANALYSIS OP MATERIAL
Description of Wives
In order that the reader might obtain a clearer
picture of the wives who were interviewed in this study,
a brief description of each was considered appropriate.
Mrs. Allen, aged thirty-six, is an attractive
brunette who was dressed in a sparkling white uniform.
Her manner was that of a we11-disciplined individual who
was quite comfortable in speech and well-schooled in
medical and psychiatric terras. She works as a recep
tionist in a doctor's office and is the mother of eight
children. She has a high school education and drinks
socially. The Allens are Roman Catholic.
I Mrs. Bartallanos, aged forty-one, a slightly over-
; weight Mexican woman with smooth olive skin, is the mother
of two teenagers-T-a boy and a girl. Her large brown eyes |
are most expressive and her jet black hair is streaked j
' with silver. She is a receptionist for a mortician. She |
I
I expresses herself well. Her attitude suggests a motherly
quality, however she also gave the impression that beneath i
I
9 :
10
the surface there was a childlike, insecure quality about
her. . Her education included high school. She does not
drink at all. The Bartallanos are Roman Catholic.
Mrs. Cable, a pretty blond woman, aged thirty-
eight, is overweight but neat in her appearance. She is
the mother of seven children who speaks with ease. She
has a high school education and is an occasional drinker.
She has never worked. The Cables are Roman Catholic.
Mrs. Donald is a slight woman, aged thirty-five,
who makes an attractive appearance although one could not
call her pretty. The mother of six children, three by a
former marriage and presently out of the home, Mrs.
Donald is working as a printer. She is a social drinker
I
' now, although she drank excessively at one time during
1
their marriage. The Donald family is Protestant.
Mrs. Ellis is thirty-seven and very pretty. She
looks much younger. She smiled easily displaying white
even teeth. Her manner was somewhat abrupt but this was
seen as nervousness. She was cooperative, openly con
fused and worried about her husband. She had been advised
by her Pastor to leave Mr. Ellis. The Ellis' have three
children, one of whom is in the service. Their religion
is Baptist.
11
Mrs. Field is a slender blond woman with lips
pressed tightly together. She has a wizened quality yet
she is pretty. This thirty-five year old mother of three
had a pleasant smile and direct cooperative manner, how
ever, the interviewee gave the impression of considerable
turmoil beneath the surface calm. Mrs. Field has a high
school education. She has worked as an office clerk but
is presently not employed. The Fields are Protestant.
Mrs. Field does not drink.
As stated initially, the families in this research
study had alcoholics as husbands and fathers. The study
itself was designed to determine the impact within the
family constellation of an alcoholic father who had been
hospitalized. The researcher sought to identify certain
similarities and certain differences in the impact of
alcoholism on the family which might better enable the
social worker to understand such a family. For the pur
poses of the study, then, it was deemed necessary to
obtain factual evidence regarding the patients* familial
relationships as well as those of the wives. This was
believed to be appropriate and necessary since adult
behavior would be a reflection of such experiences. In
some manner every patient had suffered rejection in his
family background. It was manifested by extreme denial,
excessive dominance, or death.
12
Mr. Allen’s father and mother gave him little or
no affection. His father, a spasmodic drinker, was mean.
His mother taunted him about being illegitimate. Mr.
Bartallanos* mother and father died within a span of two
years. Mr. Bartallanos was aged ten when he lost his
mother, aged twelve when his father passed away. After
this he went from one sibling to another until he could
support himself. Mr. Cable’s mother and father gave him
little affection while he was growing up. As a result of
this treatment Mr. Cable said that his father was not
alive at the time of the Cables* marriage. Nhen the
father did die four years ago Mr. Cable said “I’m glad.”
Presently he does not care if he ever sees the mother
again. Mr. Donald’s father was so excessively dominant
that his children feared him even after they grew up and
married. His mother was meek and obedient to his father,
giving minimal attention to the children since the father
was responsible for their rearing and educative needs.
This father expressed hatred for all women. He made it a
point to live close to his children after they were
married and, although the children resented his inter
ference, they were too afraid of him to take action.
Mr. Ellis’ childhood was described as “miserable.” His
father died before he was born. His mother never loved
him. She actually blamed him for causing his father’s
13 .
death. It seems that Mr. Ellis was not wanted by his }
I
father, who wanted his wife to induce abortion. This she
refused to do. Mr. Ellis* father had a heart attack some !
months later. As soon as Mr. Ellis could walk his mother !
went out to work, leaving him with siblings just a few !
years older than himself. Mr. Ellis* mother was known to :
have chained him to a chair all day to keep him in one
place. Mr. Field’s father made him feel uneasy and
unhappy. No reason was given for this. He has recalled
his father’s disciplinary actions such as spankings, for
example. He does not talk about it much. His parents |
are now dead. j
These findings support the general consensus }
i
"that in chronic alcoholics difficult family constella- j
I
tions created specific oral frustrations in childhood. . |
These frustrations gave rise to oral fixations with all
the consequences of such fixations for the structure of
the personality.It is understandable that such treat- ■
I
ment provides the neurotic base^ for behavior in adult !
life where there is also general recognition that the
^Otto Feniehel, The Psychoanalytic Theory of
Neurosis (New York; W. W. Norton & Company, Inc., 1945),
p. 379.
^Franz Alexander and Louis B. Shapiro, "Neuroses,
Behavior Disorders, and Perversions," Dynamic Psychiatry,
ed. Franz Alexander and Helen Ross (Chicago: The
University of Chicago Press, 1957), p. 135.
L .
14
alcoholic is seen as a sensitive and vulnerable indi
vidual as the result of his insecurity in childhood and
his experiences of deprivation. Alcohol, the magical
fluid, allows all tension and depression to disappear.3
(it) relieves the sense of aloneness, places an
instantaneously available source of pleasure at his
disposal, permits the mastery and simultaneously the |
expression of unmanageable hostile feelings and has a |
I virtually built in and guaranteed array of sufferings i
! and punishment which serve both to appease the con- j
I science mechanism and to feed back stress and stimuli •
I continuing the cyclic additive process.^
' Other research has revealed that, as a child,
; frustration resulted in a turning away from a frustrating
; mother towards the father, indicating more or less
I I
1 repressed homosexual tendencies. "The unconscious
I
I impulses in alcoholics typically are not oral but also i
: homo-sexual in n a t u r e . I
, This investigation supports these statements in !
, terms of the alcoholic’s experience with mothers who were
I
‘ rejecting or demanding, or entirely passive, or perhaps
not present at all, to fathers who were profoundly
rejecting towards the son. These boys grew into adult I
- - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - 1 - - - :- - :- !- j
3israel Zwerling and Milton Rosenbaum, "Alcoholic
Addiction and Personality," American Handbook of
Psychiatry, ed. Silvano Arieti (New York: Basic Books,
Inc., 1959), I, 627.
^Ibld.
^Fenlohel, loc. cifc.
I_______
15
life presenting problems of insecurity, hostility, and
excessive dependency which in turn brought about con
fusion of the father role.
The study revealed that the wives of these alco
holics maintained their childhood experiences were happy
I ones, but always by comparison with the youth of their
I husbands. As their stories unfolded, it became apparent
that there were indications of difficulties which they
refused to recognize in the light of their spouses* pro
nounced descriptions of unhappiness. Dr. Samuel
Futterman wrote an interesting analysis regarding wives
j of alcoholics. It is believed by the researcher to be a
I fitting description of the women who were interviewed for
this study.
On the basis of her own ego ideal formed from her
identification*with the dominant mother, the wife
unconsciously feels inadequate and unable to live
up to what she considered a wife and mother should
be. She choses as her foil a dependent, weak male
with whom she unconsciously contrasts herself and
upon whom she can project her own weakness, thereby
denying their existence in herself.5
Mrs. Field is a classic example of the above
quotation. She stated flatly that she and her husband
* have never had anything in common. She was aware of his
I drinking prior to their marriage, although she cannot
^Samuel Futterraan, M.D., "Personality Trends in
Wives of Alcoholics," Journal of Psychiatric Social Work,
Vol. XXIII, No. 1 (1953), p. 41.
l6
tolerate a bar and does not drink herself because she
gets "sick to her stomach." She pointed out that the
patient has often wondered why she married him. He feels
that she is really "too good" for him. He has always
felt lower than anyone else.
Mrs. Field spoke of her mother in glowing terms.
Her father was never mentioned. She said she followed
her mother about the house when she was a little girl.
Whenever her mother baked she did also. Now Mrs. Field
says her first love is homemaking. She loves to bake, to
cook, and to sew. When she completes her daily chores,
she creates some new job for herself because she likes it
so much. Presently she uses her housework to relieve her
anxieties. She told all of this with marked enthusiasm.
She admitted that when she worked as a stenographer she
had a number of other responsibilities on the job. All
of these she handled well.
Many times her husband has gotten into financial
"jams." He seemed to feel secure in the knowledge that
she could always take over for him. Many times she has
told him that he must learn to handle such situations but
it has always worked out so that she has had to be
responsible for his mistakes.
Mrs. Field, at the same time, insists that she
loves her husband and wants to do all she can to help
L.
17
him. She wants him to change. She elaborated this point
by saying she wanted him to learn to do the things she
liked to do. She has no concrete plans for the future.
She verbalized her desire for a wonderful home life with
I her husband, common interests, no drinking, and having
fun together as a family. How to accomplish this she
; stated she really did not know.
I The other wives had variations on this theme but
' all of them represented the essential features which are
described by Dr. Futterman. The majority were aware that
‘ their spouses drank before marriage, held positions
I
I superior to their husbands, and stated this in a number
i of ways. If they were not good housekeepers they were
: excellent stenographers or receptionists or, as in
. Mrs. Donald's case, a good printer who worked with her
!
I husband. They emphasized their responsibility for their
children, however, as in Mrs. Gable’s case, refused to
accept that her son’s behavior was her responsibility.
This she saw as being her husband’s responsibility and
went further by saying that if her son had known any kind
of affection from his father he would never have been
institutionalized. Mrs. Cable also thought that her
husband should be made to see that his drinking was the
cause of his inability to succeed.
18
Recognizing the individual personality factors
and the events which brought them about, this study then
proceeded to a focus of family interaction as it was seen
by the wives of six patients.
When the Problem was First Discovered
The inquiry began by asking each wife to tell
when she first knew that her husband’s drinking was a
problem. Four of the six admitted to knowledge of her
husband’s drinking habits prior to marriage. Three of
these saw it as "social drinking." They drank at
I parties— usually special occasions. They saw nothing
t
j unusual in this, since in each case it was described as
! a part of the social pattern of recreation for their
friends as well as themselves. These were the war years
; when it became the smart thing to do— to drink and be
merry. One woman simply said, "Doesn’t everybody drink
I at that age?"
I : .
I There was wide variation in recognition by all
I
j wives of onset of the problem, ranging from before
marriage, as in Mrs. Bartallanos’ description, to
I
; Mrs. Ellis, who stated that her problem began fifteen
years after marriage.
Mrs. Bartallanos, who knew of her husband’s
excessive drinking before marriage, said that despite
19
sueh excessive drinking she felt she could reform him by
offering him the security of a home and family. As a
boy of twelve Mr. Bartallanos was orphaned, having lost
both parents within a period of two years. He had several
brothers and sisters and went from one to the other for
care until he was able to be on his own at an early age.
He had little formal education as a result. The only job
’ he could obtain was that of "ranch hand." He roamed from
place to place, job to job, riding the rails, and spend
ing his earnings on liquor. Knowing all of this,
Mrs. Bartallanos married him anyway. She was compli-
I mented by the Police Chief of their town shortly after
I their union. He told her that she had really made a
"man" of her husband. He no longer spent weekends in
jail (which he saw as free board and room). He brought
his liquor home and drank there but his need for it con-
j tinned and Mrs. Bartallanos found that "reform" was
impossible.
How Patient Acted
Once the wives had established when they perceived
the beginning of a drinking problem they were then able
to discuss the behavioral patterns of their husbands
around drinking. Generally the pattern began with the
spouse indicating frustration in a specific area. This
20
behavior seemed to be a result of unhappiness with his
job, his role as a man, or husband, or father. He became
irritated, seemingly without reason, moody, and finally
very depressed. It was at this point that he resorted to
alcohol as a release from his depression. For example:
i
Mr. Allen, a mailman, seemed to resent his wife’s working.i
It developed, according to Mrs. Allen, that he felt her
job, that of receptionist in a doctor’s office, was
better than his. He often stated that she was smarter
than he. Arguments followed which centered around his
demands that she stop working and take care of their
eight children. Her reply was that they needed her
salary to maintain their home and provide for their large
family. Mr. Allen, she said, recognized the reality of ^
this factor but continued to argue the point anyway. The
pattern of irritation grew to moodiness and, finally,
deep depression. He would merely say that he felt low
and needed a drink. ^
Mr. Bartallanos came back from World War II and I
i
met his daughter for the first time. She was then two j
years old, having been conceived just prior to his leaving;
for the European Theater and born while he was still over
seas. This was the man who had a history of excessive |
drinking prior to his marriage, with his wife accepting
the fact thinking she could reform him. He had not been
21
home very long when he began to accuse Mrs. Bartallanos
of infedility while he was away. In the interview
Mrs. Bartallanos strongly denied the accusation. She
said she could have been unfaithful, many women she knew
were, but she was "not that kind of woman." As a result
of their arguments on the subject, she said her husband
1
I would sit silently and think and then finally leave the
I .
; house to go to a bar or to return with a bottle.
I Mr. Gable had always been interested in the
advertising business. He considered it important to
, entertain clients by taking them out for cocktails. He
is an individual who has a real need to succeed but has
I never been able to reach the goals which he set for him-
I
I self. He has continued to try to be a successful adver
tising man and to entertain and drink. Finally he
decided to go into business for himself. He had an
elaborate bar in his office. Drinking began early in the
j day and extended into the evening. His wife was not in-
I eluded in any of his socializing since he considered this
his business. She argued with him at first and finally,
she said, accepted his decisions because she could not
get anywhere with him in these arguments. Mr. Cable’s
business failed. He continued his heavy drinking, began
staying out of the home for days at a time, and was
finally hospitalized.
1
22
Mr. Donald had difficulty in taking hold of his
role as a husband from the beginning of their marriage.
He was unable to break his ties with a dominant father,
who lived close to them and who advised his son on all
matters including finances and marriage. This dominant
figure had little use for women, said Mrs. Donald. The
' inevitable arguments ensued but to no avail. Finally
i Mr. Donald, confused and depressed, began taking vaca
tions with his father, leaving his wife at home. Mrs.
Donald suspects that her husband*s drinking began and
I continued during these vacations with the patient*s
: father who, interestingly, did not drink at all. Both
I
; Mrs. Ellis and Mrs. Field told of their experiences in a
I similar manner. Their husbands' frustrations centered
around the job situation and the pattern of attempted
reasoning followed by acceptance was verbalized by both.
With the exception of one, Mr. Bartallanos, there
I
was a deceptive quality with regard to drinking. All men
began their drinking outside the home, staying out late
and resenting any accounting for their activities during
these periods. In the home there was general agreement
; that these men were excessively nervous, depressed,
belligerent and, at the same time, displayed childlike
dependency. The latter was exemplified in the wives
handling money or responding to the patient's need for
23
comfort upon demand. As the problem became more apparent
to the wives and their acceptance of it was seen by the
patient, the husbands modified their behavior by bringing
liquor into the home. Two interviewees described their
husbands as having become involved with other women.
Reaction of Wives
The wives showed some similarities in their reac
tions towards these behavioral patterns. They expressed
efforts to please by being understanding and attempting
to reason with their husbands. Mrs. Cable's description
was typical of the majority of the women interviewed.
She said she became angry when her husband began to stay
out late at night, not coming home until 4:00 A.M., or
perhaps not at all. She felt these late hours were
essential to his career but his drinking was becoming
more excessive, which in turn was affecting his perform
ance on the job. Mrs, Field's description was the
exception to the majority. She stated that she and her
husband never argued. She had never been able to talk
more than quietly about something that upset her. When
she found that she was getting no positive response from
Mr. Field during these discussions (he either agreed with
her that he was drinking too much, or said he needed to
drink as a ‘ ‘ release ”), she concluded she could be of no
, J
24
assistance to him so she "tolerated" it and went about
her life as best she could, Mrs. Donald, who followed
the majority of wives* reactions, added one variation.
She attempted to work with her husband in the Job setting
and also drank to excess with him until she found she was
doing damage to herself.
. Over half of those interviewed admitted to having
been physically beaten and expressed real fear over this, |
but it was Mrs, Field, as has been pointed out, who j
expressed the atypical when she said flatly that she and
I her husband had nothing in common. Her husband did not
I I
j enjoy doing things with the family. She has never known
I ;
I him to consider her enough to make a plan. She has no ;
t
taste for liquor. It makes her sick. She likes sports
and movies. He prefers to drink. She assured the inter
viewer that she understood and loved her husband, adding
quickly that if he could give up drinking they could do
the kind of things she enjoyed.
All of those interviewed expressed their accept- j
!
ance of the problem, their protectiveness of the patients
in all areas, and their unwillingness to leave the mari- I
i
I
tal setting. They see their husbands as good men and
feel that some kind of help for them has been indicated ,
I
• from the early stages to the present date.
25
Reaction of Children
The respondents were unanimous in their descrip
tion of the closeness of the family as a group. They
stated that the children were not affected by the fathers'
behavior. This was said even though they had earlier
described the fact that participation in family activi
ties by these fathers ranged from nil to spasmodic. Two
women, Mrs. Bartallanos and Mrs. Gable, made such a
statement regarding their children, but, when discussing
their husbands* behavioral patterns, indicated real dis
turbance with regard to the children. Mrs. Bartallanos
related that her daughter, aged seventeen, had threatened
her father with an unloaded shotgun and told him that she
would kill him if he touched her mother again. Mrs.
A
Bartallanos, her daughter, and her son, aged fourteen,
had, on individual occasions, put Mr. Bartallanos in
jail.
Mrs. Cable, on the other hand, spoke bitterly
about her son, the only male child in a family of six,
who had become delinquent. It was this mother's feeling
that the boy had been rejected by his father. Rejection
was seen by the father's disinterest in the boy from
birth. There was never any indication of a father-son
relationship. This lack of attention by the father
towards his son was seen as the reason for the boy's
26 I
I
acting out and his eventual need for placement by the !
Juvenile authorities in a correctional institution.
All of the interviewees maintained that they ;
kept a balance for their children by protecting them ,
from any knowledge of their father's deportment. This |
protection grew as realistic changes occurred in the ,
I
father's drinking habits. I
These mothers reported that their children I
I
I adjusted "easily" to the father's increase in consumption
of alcoholic beverages because actually they did not see
too much of it. Younger children were put to bed early
in the evening and thus did not have an awareness of what |
was happening. If daddy was asleep on the couch in the '
living room he had not "passed out" but instead was simply
tired. With older children the problem was discussed.
If any hostility was felt it was cleared by mother's
explanation that daddy needed understanding and love. |
Balance was maintained by protection such as this and the !
I
children accepted it. %ey loved the father and the ■
I father loved them. This was the general explanation
,
given by the interviewees. Actually every woman inter-
I
viewed stated that they were the only ones to feel the
I
brunt of their husbands' wrath when he was drinking.
f ' 27
Economic Effects
All wives agreed that they were responsible for ^
handling money affairs! They paid the bills and handled ,
savings. Four out of six wives stated their husbands had j
I
been and, up to the date of hospitalization, still were j
good providers. All except Mrs. Cable and Mrs. Ellis !
1
had jobs presently or had augmented income over the years
as the situation warranted. Mrs. Cable, whose husband
was in the advertising business, had never worked and
gave no indication of having to worry about her financial
affairs, but did not spell out how she was handling this
presently. Mrs. Ellis spoke of having to resort to the
State Aid to Needy Children Program. Her husband, a ,
former Marine, provided for them adequately in the past. j
Mr. Allen, the mailman, earns six dollars more
than his wife is presently receiving as a doctor's
receptionist. Mr. Bartallanos, a former ranch hand
turned gardner, earns for the family but his wife too is
employed as a receptionist in a mortuary. Mr. Donald I
worked as a printer. His wife worked with him and con
tinues in the same job while he is hospitalized.
Mrs. Field has, over the years, worked when necessary. |
I
For example, whenever her husband was laid off she took a |
clerical job. She was not working at the time of the in- t
I
terview and gave no indication that she saw it necessary.
28
The women who worked did not feel that they were
the breadwinners. They attributed this to the fact that
they were merely supplementing what their spouses earned.
Their participation in a working situation was viewed in
terms of a wifely, helpmate role.
Social Relationships
During the course of each interviewee's discus
sion, emphasis was given to the fact that they were
responsible for the children since the spouses gave
little indication of interest in them. It was at this
point in the interview that they were asked about their
friends— if they had any, and if both husband and wife
enjoyed any relationships with these individuals. One-
half of the women interviewed admitted to no social rela
tionships. They found their pleasure in earing for home
and children. Even those who worked placed emphasis upon
this point. The others saw social relationships being
cut off only recently or considered their relatives as
only contacts, while the last, Mrs. Allen, gave an un
qualified, "Yes we have many friends" to the question.
Additional Information
These men were described as dependent and child-
! like. They relied upon their wives to make all the deci-
i
sions, yet they were demanding to be treated as the
29 '
children were treated— with love and attention. This was '
considered annoying and frustrating by the wives. For
■ I
example : Mr. Cable told his wife that she paid more
attention to the children than she did to him. He
demanded sexual satisfaction at times when she had com
pleted her motherly duties, was tired, and wanted to
sleep. These were the times he would accuse his wife of
caring more about the children than her husband.
Mr. Bartallanos was not able to decide for himself. His
wife explained things to him as one would a child. She
did this because she felt his lack of education made
understanding of everything difficult for him. She made
decisions. She babied him because of a stomach ailment.
This was the best way she found to handle him.
Every woman interviewed expressed the need for a
"man" in the household. They felt that the relationship
was that of mother and son. They did, however, express
very positive feelings about their sexual satisfaction.
CHAPTER III
SUMMARY AMD IMPLICATIONS |
I
This study was undertaken to obtain a clearer
picture of the family of an alcoholic. The researcher
wanted to know how the members of the family reacted to
the alcoholic problem and how they handled it.
In that this study was limited to a total of six
interviews, there is not sufficient evidence to warrant
any definite research conclusions. The material obtained
however does imply a number of areas of concern for con
tinued investigation.
A brief description of the familial background of
both husband and wife is seen as appropriate since it
presents a picture of what these people bring to a
marriage in terms of emotional needs. It must be recog
nized that information obtained was reflected through the '
eyes of the wife.
In terms of the familial background it is sig
nificant that every patient suffered rejection in some
extreme manner. Thus the patients became aware of frus
tration in their early lives. Interestingly, the ;
I
behavioral pattern in drinking came about with the wife '
30 ;
I
first noting the patient as being frustrated about him- i
self, and or his surroundings. As these men grew into |
I
adult life they presented problems of insecurity, hostil
ity, and excessive dependency.
The wives of these patients brought to marriage
their own neurotic tendencies as a result of childhood
experiences. These women all felt that their youth far
surpassed their husbands' in terms of happiness. There I
were indications, however, of both economic and emotional
deprivation. These women, for the most part, admitted to
a knowledge of their husbands' drinking prior to marriage i
!
and accepted it as part of the cultural pattern of the !
Mar years. I
The pattern of how the husbands resorted to
liquor was uniform. Reaction to stress was seen first in
frustration, then irritation, and finally in depression.
The last step, consumption of alcoholic beverages, was
inevitable.
The wives' reaction to the problem drinking was
expressed first in anger, then in attempts to reason, and ;
I
finally resigned acceptance. 'Biey maintained that they
protected the husbands from as much stress as they
possibly could, both from without and from within. They
did this also for their children. That is, when father
came home and immediately fell asleep on the couch, an j
32
explanation to children and visitors alike was that he
was merely tired. Or, if father did not return all
night and the children questioned why daddy was not
present for breakfast, mother would reply that he had
left for work early.
The wives, on the whole, did not feel the
children were affected by the father's behavior. The
examples of Juvenile delinquency and threats to shoot one
father were looked upon as exceptions by the women who
described them. All women proclaimed the love of the
children for their fathers and of the fathers for their
children, even though they displayed real concern over
the lack of participation by the fathers in family
affairs, especially with the children.
These wives also brought out the fact that they
kept the knowledge of the fathers' problem from the
children as long as possible. When the children became
aware that something unusual was happening, the problem
was discussed with them. They understood, for the most
part, and Joined with the mothers in attempting to help
the fathers. The wives saw themselves as the only persons
who were the objects of their husbands' wrath. They
talked of being physically beaten.
Economically, the women saw their spouses as
good providers. Those wives who worked, and the majority
33 !
I
did, did not consider their employment as any more than |
a supplement to the family income. They were, they said, :
being helpmates and good wives. Without exception, how- j
ever, every woman managed the family finances. i
One-half of these women had no outside social j
relationships. All women saw their children as their
(
first responsibility. The care and education of these
!
children were paramount, according to the mothers. It ^
I should be noted here that this particular area, more than ;
i the others, carried throughout, an overtone of resentment
j and hostility. |
!
I Finally they all felt that it would be nice to j
' have a "man" in the household. None of these women were '
sure what the future held for them. They maintained
their love for their spouses, looked forward to the
release of their husbands from the hospital, and hoped
that the future would bring them happiness.
Although this research has focused on the meaning ,
of alcoholism to the wife, it has pointed to three
specific areas within the family of an alcoholic which
I
are seen as hindrances to the emotional health of its
; !
members. These areas are (l) the alcoholic father who, j
1 -
: because of his own childhood experiences, is frustrated
I and confused; (2) the alcoholic's wife, herself a ^
I troubled individual, who gives little evidence of insight '
34 ,
into herself or into the problem with which she is '
presently faced; and ( 3) their children, who are confused I
and frightened while attempting to maintain a balance,
within a home setting, with parents they periodically
love and hate.
Social workers can be of great help in assisting
families of alcoholics. Already we are beginning to see
in the literature, descriptions of activities of the
social worker with the alcoholic himself.1 It is the
opinion of the researcher that the wives of alcoholics
are in need of treatment also; however, because of the
characteristics of such a personality, work with them
would likely have to be a gradual and tedious process
with long term goals in mind. The wife needs help in
understanding herself so that she can tolerate her weak
nesses and build upon her strengths. Her need for being
a controling person should be explored and the energies
rechanneled. She will have to share responsibility and
help the husband assume the degree of responsibility he
can tolerate. This is challenging to the worker since
he will have to be alert to signs of serious depression
upon the part of the alcoholic's wife. It is possible
for a woman such as this to see her husband through his
^Frances Horn, "Emerging Role of a Social Worker
With Hospitalized Alcoholics," Social Casework, XEII,
No. 3 (March, 1 9 6 1), 117-123.
35
difficult alc-oholie withdrawal. However as she begins
to see him as a different person, who is less dependent
and weak, her own insecurities are likely to loom larger
to her. Under such circumstances she could, herself,
decompensate.
Children in such a family need also to be seen
by the social worker. With Veterans Administration this
cannot be undertaken. However a proper referral to a
Family Service agency or Child Guidance Clinic, for
example, would be appropriate and advisable.
It is believed that more research is needed
regarding the children in the family of an alcoholic.
Further research is also recommended for these families
in terms of the interaction of husband and wife.
BIBLIOGRAPHY
BIBLIOGRAPHY
Books
Ackerman, Nathan W. The Psycho-Dynamics of Family Life.
New York: Basic Books, Inc., 195^.
Alexander, Franz, and Ross, Helen. Dynamic Psychiatry.
Chicago: University of Chicago Press, 1952.
Arieti, Silvano (ed.). American Handbook of Psychiatry.
New York: Basic Books, 1959.
Gordon, John E. "The Epidemiology of Alcoholism,"
Alcoholism as a Medical Problem. Edited by H. D.
Krus. New York: Hoeber-Harper Bros., 1956.
Articles and Periodicals
Brean, Herbert. "Hope in a Bitter Teen-Age Tragedy,"
Life, Vol. 50, No. 6 (February 10, 1 9 6 1), pp. 94-
ÎÔ4T
Clifford, Bernard J. "A Study of the Wives of
Rehabilitated and Unrehabilitated Alcoholics,"
Social Casework, Vol. XLI, No. 9 (November i9 6 0),
pp. 457-460.
Futterman, Samuel. "Personality Trends in Wives of
Alcoholics," Journal of Psychiatric Social Work,
Vol. XXIII, No. 1 (October 1 9 5 3), PP. 37-4l.
Horn, Frances. "Emerging Role of a Social Worker with
Hospitalized Alcoholics," Social Casework, Vol.
XLII, No. 3 (March 1 9 6I), pp. 117-123.
McNamara, John H. "The Disease Conception of Alcoholism:
Its Therapeutic Value for the Alcoholic and His
Wife," Social Casework, Vol. XLI, No. 9 (November
i9 6 0), pp. 460-465.
37
38
Other Sources
Tape Recording. Institute on Alcoholism at Veterans
Administration Hospital, Sepulveda, California.
A discussion of one individual's experience as an
alcoholic.
APPENDIXES
APPENDIX I
SCHEDULE FOR INTERVIEWS WITH WIVES
Interviewee's Identifying Bata:
1. Age of wives
2. Number of children
a. Age
b. Sex
3- Occupation
4. Drinker
a. Occasional— What does this mean?
b. Social What does this mean?
c. Daily What does this mean?
5. Non-Drinker
a. Approves of drinking
b. Disapproves of drinking
6. Ethnic background and religion
Questions Relating to Patient Family Relationships:
1. Length of patient's illness as seen by the inter
viewee.
2. How did the interviewee first become aware that there
was a problem here?
3. How did she feel about the onset of the illness?
a. Understood it
b. Tolerated it
c. Guilty
d. Others
4. What was the pattern of the family relationship
before the onset of the illness?
a. Was patient always a part of the constellation
with special regard to social and economic
endeavors ?
b. Where, if any, did he begin to fail in these
obligations?
c. What, if anything, did the interviewee attempt
to do about it at this point in time?
5. What were the changes in the family situation at the
onset of the illness?
41
a. Economic
b. Social
c. Psychologic
6. How did these changes affect the family constella
tion?
a. Spouse-patient relationship
b. Child-patient relationship
7. What does the interviewee feel caused or contributed
to the patientjs illness?
8. When the illness began to appear out of control, how
were relationships within the constellation?
a. Spouse-patient
j b. Spouse-child
I 9. When the illness began to appear out of control, how
I were relationships outside the constellation?
a. Economic
j b. Social
: 10. How does the interviewee feel about the patient now?
11. How do the children feel about the patient now?
' 12. What, in the interviewee's eyes, does she see as
I feelings of the children now toward the patient?
1 3. What are the interviewee's plans for care and treat-
! ment of the patient upon discharge?
I l4. In what ways does the interviewee feel the patient
I can be helped in the treatment plan?
i 1 5. In what way does the interviewee feel that she and
her children can be helped in the treatment plan?
APPENDIX II
RE: MRS. P.— INTERVIEW PROPER
Re : Interviewee j
Appearance ; Mrs. P. is a slender blond woman '
with lips pressed tightly together. (One cannot be sure
whether she makes up this way or if there is a feeling |
of tension. We could speculate that there would be a
little of both.) She has a wizened quality and yet she
is pretty. She has a pleasant smile. Her eyes were |
1
always directly upon the researcher. % hunch is that
under her apparent surface ease there is considerable ,
turmoil beneath the surface.
Attitude : Mrs. F. was most cooperative. She
states that she feels a study of this kind is really
needed since she feels the area is really not covered
well enough. She added, too, that she would be most
anxious to assist the researcher in any way she possibly
could. Thus, she was straight forward with her answers
and descriptions.
Impressions : Mrs. F. is rigid appearing and, from
the interview, it was apparent that her behavioral
pattern indicated rigidity. She verbalized this in a
42 I
43
number of ways. She appears as the dominant figure, her
spouse completely dependent, frightened, hostile perhaps.
Mrs. P. entered the office smilingly. She seated
herself comfortably but I sensed her anxiety despite our
efforts in a previous talk to explain the dynamics of
this particular interview. Thus I reiterated salient
points (i.e.: confidentiality) and described how her dis
cussion with me would be used along with others to
determine similarities and differences in families of
male patients who were seen as alcoholics. She accepted
all of this with interest. Next, I referred to subjects
to be covered. On the desk I had placed the Thesis
Statement in a folder. As I spoke, I explained that
this contained some of the papers involved in the study,
among which was the list of topics to be covered with
patients' wives. I said that I would refer to it from
time to time as we talked to be sure that the areas were
completely covered. I asked if she minded— she did not;
if she wished to look at the questions. She replied that
she didn't think this was necessary. But thanked me
anyway.
I initiated the discussion proper by asking about
the length of time Mr. F. had been drinking. Mrs. F.
says that her husband had always enjoyed drinking, even
before their marriage; however there had never been any
; 44
I indication of extremes. It seemed that this was a gradual
* thing. Her husband started by going from work to a little
^ bar every day, for a beer. He said he had to do it, to
; get rid of some of the pressure he felt had been built up
during the day, on the job. Even in the beginning it was
obvious that one beer led to two. As time progressed one
man would be buying for the group, her husband would
reciprocate and soon he was not coming home until late in
I the evening. Often he would get as far as the couch and
go to sleep. This was when D^s. F. attempted to reason
I with her spouse. Monies expended on "drink" could appro-
; priately be channeled in terms of the needs of their
i
! Children— clothing particularly. Mr. F's reaction to this
was never openly hostile. He merely explained that he
needed relief from the daily problems and he saw this ;
method as his manner of release. He did not become angry.|
She states that her discussions with him were nothing more
than that. She was "mad" about it to be sure but she has '
. . . I
; never been able to do more than quietly talk about some- :
thing that upset her. When she found she was getting no
positive response from Mr. F. during these discussions
(he either agreed with her or he said he needed this as
a release) she concluded she could be of no assistance to
him. So she tolerated it and went about her life as best
she could. She wonders why she didn't loose her mind.
45
I asked what this did for Mrs. F. in terms of
their social relationships. Mrs. F. said their life has '
I
always been family centered. They really have very few
friends. She has one or two girl friends who come over j
occasionally and that is about all. Mrs. F*s youngest i
child is 4§. She feels that she is needed much of the
time in terms of the daily routine. Her two older
children are home from three o'clock on. Frankly, she
loves her home. She could bake from morning til night.
She loves to sew and if she is all finished with her
daily chores, she creates some new Job for herself. The
I
last point became even more necessary as her husband's |
illness became more difficult. '
I
Since Mrs. F. is a non-drinker (oh she might have
I
I
a small glass of wine, if she must) she really doesn't i
enjoy going to bars. Frankly she becomes exceedingly ;
bored. Her husband would rather do this than anything
I
else. As a matter of fact, he has no hobbies. They have |
really never had things in common. Her spouse doesn't '
enjoy going out with the family— never has actually. She
i
has made an especial effort to get him to go on picnics j
with them. He goes but he doesn't enjoy it. She has to |
plan it. She has never known him to consider her enough
to make a plan. He is a good father to the children, who
respond to him lovingly, but he just cannot become
46
Interested in their activities as such. He shows no
hostility in this area either. Mrs. F. said, "Don't get
: me wrong, I love to go out. It is just that I like other
i
I things--bowling for example or a movie." She added that
I
I she was concerned with expense however. If her husband
would give up drinking they could do the kind of things
: she enjoys but she hardly feels that both drinking and
movies can be included in the budget. Her attempts to
breech this impasse have been to go along with him to a
bar but drinks 7 Up. The only trouble with this is that
: she gets so bored it becomes noticeable to her spouse who ;
I !
; asks why not just one drink. She says it makes her sick, j
) she just doesn't like the taste so he takes her home j
i !
because he knows she's not having a good time. He also, I
1
after bringing her home, has gone out again and not I
returned for hours. Once it was for three days, but that
was just a little before he entered the hospital.
I wondered when guests came and Mrs. F's husband |
was in the living room couch asleep, how she handled the I
situation. She said she would simply say that her husband'
was exhausted from working and got as far as the couch I
I
when he fell asleep. Her protectiveness towards her j
spouse was extended to the children whom she feels have
hardly been affected by the problem since they have never !
known their father to be any different. Oh, they've
47
commented that daddy's happy or silly, tonight--he*s had
some beers, but they really haven't felt any pressure. i
Mrs. F. has been protective here too. She has not dis- I
cussed much of this with the children. They have never I
seen their father stagger or incapacitated as a result of I
his indulgence. They were in bed at night when he came
home and if (as it happened the time he didn't come home)
they questioned their mother about it the next day she
would respond that daddy had an early call for work.
This was an understandable factor in the family
since Mr. F. worked at a Chevrolet plant. He had a varied!
number of shifts--sometimes swing— sometimes days--some
times nights. Always after the job, he became more and
more needful of alcohol. Mrs. F. said this did not, in
the overall, affect his "on the job status." He was a
good provider and never drank on the job. There were
times during the years when there were layoffs— however,
at these times she would go to work for the short period
until her husband was rehired.
At this point, I asked Mrs. F. to tell me about
herself. What did she do when she worked, for example.
She said she did clerical work, she enumerated various
requirements under the heading "Clerical. " I remarked
that this kind of job required a person to be quite accu
rate. She agreed but said she enjoyed it. Her first
48
love was her home though. As a child she followed her
mother's activities closely. When her mother baked, she
baked, when the beds were made, she was on the other side
helping, etc. She worked before she was married as a
clerical job but gave it up afterwards (her husband
wanted this, too) for her first love--that of a homemaker.
Emergencies brought her out of the home only. She is not
presently working.
I wondered how Mrs. F. saw the patient. She said
that he has always been a person who leaned on her. He
couldn't make decisions. He couldn't plan. These things
were left entirely up to her. From the beginning, he
told her she was too good for him. He has always felt as
though people "were pushing him down." He was lower than
anyone else. He'd never amount to anything. Why did she
marry him? (She explained that she loved him.) He even
depended upon her to get him out of economic "jams." He
always knew that if they didn * t have enough money, she
could borrow it from her parents, or the bank or she'd
think of something. He depended upon her always. He
seemed to "run into a corner" when threatened and she'd
tell him he'd have to come out and do something about his
problem instead of hiding. But he never would and at
this point, she'd have to take over for him.
49
In July of this year there had been lay-offs "so
many lay-offs," at Chevrolet. Mr. P. was very dis
couraged. Mow he would leave in the morning and drink
all day. This was the time, too, when he didn't come
home overnight. Finally things got so bad that he sug- ,
gested she take the children and go back east to her |
family for a trial separation. He felt he might be able '
to work things out here. This she did. The children
seemed unaffected by this also. Meanwhile, her husband !
telephoned her nightly sometimes hardly able to talk
because of his intoxicated state. Finally, he called ;
from Oalifornia and told her he was in Buffalo. Actually |
Mrs. F. feels her spouse was extremely ill and really
didn't know where he was. She came home and he came to
the hospital shortly thereafter.
Mrs. F. feels no economic pressure at this point.
She feels that she has a responsibility to her children
to keep herself mentally and physically healthy. This is
what keeps her going. In the past she used her housework
to relieve her of her anxiety and pent up emotions. Now
she finds it extremely helpful during these days of her
spouse&s hospitalization. Her children are most important
to her— very important.
Mrs. F. also expressed very positive feelings
i
towards her spouse. "I love my husband," she said, "and
50
I shall do all I can to help him." When I asked about
the children and their feeling about their dad at this
point in time, she said that they know their daddy is in
the hospital but they do not know why. She emphasized
again that they love their father very much and have not
reacted to the patient any differently.
Mrs. P. when asked about future plans looked a
little confused. She told me that she really had no con
crete plans for the future since she had no way of know
ing how long her spouse would be in the hospital. As a
matter of fact, she had seen the Doctor only once since
her spouse's hospitalization. At that time the Doctor
gave her absolutely no information re her spouse Is ill
ness. He talked in generalities— didn't talk to her
about diagnosis. In fact, she didn't know what her
husband was being kept here for. She said, however, that
she would hope to have a wonderful home life with her
husband, common interests, no drinking, and enjoyment of
the total family group. How to accomplish this she did
not know.
" ^ n l v e r s f t y o f S o u t h e r n C a f F f o r n f a L f b r a r ÿ

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Asset Metadata

Creator Kocol, E'Lane Mary (author)

Core Title The impact of alcoholism on the family: A study of interaction within six families, their attitudes and feelings towards a father who is alcoholic

School School of Social Work

Degree Master of Social Work

Degree Program Social Work

Degree Conferral Date 1961-06

Publisher University of Southern California (original), University of Southern California. Libraries (digital)

Tag OAI-PMH Harvest,social sciences

Format application/pdf (imt)

Language English

Contributor Digitized by ProQuest (provenance)

Permanent Link (DOI) https://doi.org/10.25549/usctheses-c39-271870

Unique identifier UC11315931

Identifier EP66783.pdf (filename),usctheses-c39-271870 (legacy record id)

Legacy Identifier EP66783.pdf

Dmrecord 271870

Document Type Thesis

Format application/pdf (imt)

Rights Kocol, E'Lane Mary

Type texts

Source University of Southern California (contributing entity), University of Southern California Dissertations and Theses (collection)

Access Conditions The author retains rights to his/her dissertation, thesis or other graduate work according to U.S. copyright law. Electronic access is being provided by the USC Libraries in agreement with the au...

Repository Name University of Southern California Digital Library

Repository Location USC Digital Library, University of Southern California, University Park Campus, Los Angeles, California 90089, USA