Family Structures of Narcotic Addicts

Abstract

Seventy-five families of former narcotic addicts were studied in New York City and Los Angeles. All patients were in residential treatment at the time of the study and they and their families participated in a multiple family group which was the major source of data. The most common familial pattern seen was that of a mother enmeshed with her addicted son. The father feels excluded by this dyad and reacts with disengagement, brutality, or increased consumption of alcohol. However, in certain ethnic groups the entire family including the father is quite enmeshed with each other and their addict sons. Siblings were either fellow addicts whose drug abuse is fused with that of the identified patient or, to the contrary, "good' children who were parental figures and quite successful. Addict spouse pairs tend to duplicate patterns which they have developed in their family of origin. Male addicts frequently dominate their addicted or drug-free spouse to assure themselves of being cared for. The female addict population in this study was too small (N = 16) for generalization but observed patterns are discussed.

Expanding the family systems approach: Cultural, class, developmental and gender influences in drug abuse

“…Little reference is made to the possible differences in Hispanic, Black, Asian, and other social groups that may have complex family structures and varying cultural traditions. An exception is Kaufman's (1978Kaufman's ( , 1981Kaufman's ( , 1986 work, which finds that family patterns of narcotic addicts vary in different ethnic groups and social classes. His study of addicts and their families in multiple family therapy groups found that the father may be disengaged in White Protestant and Black families, but enmeshed in Italian and Jewish families.…”

Verstoorde gezinsverhoudingen, psychische stoornissen en gezinstherapie

“…Het ging dan om variabelen als: tekort aan positieve aandacht, gepaard aan overmaat aan aandacht voor de verslaving (Reilly, 1976), overbescherming en vervaging van de subsystemen (Kaufman, 1981), gebrek aan hechting en fysiek en seksueel geweld (O'Donnell, Hawkins & Abbott, 1995).…”

Psychische stoornissen, verstoorde gezinsverhoudingen en gezinstherapie; de stand van zaken

“…Hij beschreef de atmosfeer in deze gezinnen als saai en oppervlakkig met een verhulde ondergrond van vijandigheid. Kaufman (1981) legde de nadruk op overbescherming door de moeder, de vervaging van grenzen tussen de subsystemen in het gezin en de zwakte en ongeı¨nteres-seerdheid van de (vaak aan alcohol verslaafde) vader. Ook hij signaleerde de functie die de verslaving soms kon hebben.…”