STRESS AMONG ALCOHOLICS FOLLOWING DE-ADDICTION TREATMENT: A THREE YEAR FOLLOW UP STUDY
Alcoholism is matter of serious concern, not confined to any group, culture or country. Universally it creates professional, social, financial, legal, medical, psychological, and familial problems. The cost of alcoholism to the society is staggering by any calculations. Lost working days, accidents and related disability, family disrupts and resulting juvenile problems, and direct medical complications of alcohol abuse add up to a significant proportion of loss to nations? economy and well being. Alcoholism thus becomes a complex phenomenon deserving attention from deferent angles. Problem drinking within a family can lead to many types of stress and hard ships for family members. Increasing social isolation due to alcoholism is difficult for children to cope up. They behave increasingly withdrawn form peer group activities. Financial hardships become a factor and reductions are made to general standard of living. Physical hardships are seen either violence towards family members or in destruction of household things. Family members especially spouse may be subjected to emotional deprivation and may perceive drinking as a form of rejection. This in turn causes the drinker to become increasingly preoccupied and plays a diminished role in family life and affairs.
Glassner and Loughlin (1987) emphasized on three aspects of parent-child relationships that are studied in alcoholics families; basic care, consistency of expectations, and communications. Children find it difficult to cope with parental unpredictability or with unexplained withdrawal and sudden change in mood and temperament. Hence, the tragedy of alcoholism lies in its detrimental effects on future generation. Alcoholism of the individual affects not only the family but also even the basic fabric of the society. Alcohol causes poverty leading to crimes and prostitution that in turn ends up in the break down of any society?s integrity and existence. Studies have reveled those alcoholics? families acquire certain typical coping strategies within the family system (Orford et. al 1975). This invariably evokes further stress, feelings of hopelessness, withdrawnness and depression in alcoholics. Thus, a vicious cycle of alcohol, stress and maladjustment is found to exist. In the post de-addiction treatment phase, the situation is expected to change. The treatment as such and its positive out come should bring new atmosphere in to the family. In spite of differences, all treatment modalities for de-addiction aims at improved family relations and better social adjustments. Psychotherapy, family counseling, rehabilitation counseling, and group therapies are deferent methods of attaining this goal. Do these techniques work in the long run? Does participation in AA meetings reduce stress?
The present study therefore attempts to investigate the nature of change in stress among alcoholic patients in the immediate three years following de-addiction treatment.
OBJECTIVES
The central theme of the present investigation is to study the nature of stress among alcoholics in the immediate three years following de-addiction treatment.
1 To find out stress among alcoholics in the immediate three years following de-addiction treatment.
2 To find out whether deferent treatment methods vary in their efficacy to reduce stress among alcoholics in the immediate three years following de-addiction treatment.
SAMPLE
Sample of the study consisted of 166 male alcoholics admitted in deferent dead diction centers in kerala. Their age ranged from 26 to 53 (mean 34, SD12.5). All subjects belonged to middle socio economic class. Duration of alcohol consumption ranged from4 to 23 yrs. (mean 14.5, SD 9.6)
TOOLS
Hari`s Stress Inventory (HSI)
Hari`s Stress Inventory assesses eight major aspects of stress. The test is reported to have high degree of content validity. The coefficient of reliability (split half) is 0.59, (Chandran, 2000)
RESEARCH DESIGN
Present investigation is an experimental study with two independent variables and a dependent variable. First independent variable is the participation of Ss in AA meetings, Second independent variable is the Relaxation training given to the Ss. Dependent variable is stress. A sample of 166 alcoholics who were admitted for de-addiction treatment was chosen for the study. Out of the sample,60 Ss were randomly assigned to the first group ( Exp Gr.1, participation in AA meetings), another 60 Ss were randomly assigned to the second group (Exp Gr.2, Relaxation training).They were given training on relaxation technique, viz. Jacobson?s relaxation and Bensons relaxation, and Ss were advised to continue it regularly. Rest of the sample, (n 46) was kept as control group.
HSI was administered to the whole sample at the time of admission and base line data on maladjustment was obtained. During the study, Ss were assessed on stress after 2 months, 1 year, 2 year and three year periods.
The final sample consisted of only those subjects who were regular for follow-ups. Exp Gr.1, Exp Gr.2, and control group for final analysis consisted of 46, 48, and 32 Ss respectively. It may be noted that the size were 60, 60, and 46 respectively for the three groups.
3 X 5 Univariate analysis was conducted on scores on maladjustment among the three groups during the three year period. A graph was plotted.
RESULTS AND DISCUSSION
The group were found to vary significantly on stress (F=7.92, P
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