title: Changing perceptions of self and spouse from sober to intoxicated state: implications for research into family factors that maintain alcohol abuse.
abstract: This paper has concentrated on reporting changes along eight dimensions of the Leary ICL in perception of self and of spouse between sober, as if intoxicated, and intoxicated conditions for couples with an alcoholic member. Major findings were that of a pilot sample of four couples, three couples showed significant changes in the responsible-hypernormal dimension, though not always in the same direction, that, otherwise, there were highly individualized patterns of change along the eight dimensions both for each couple and for each separate member of a couple, and that the ability of an individual to predict his or her experience of the intoxicated condition is highly variable, not only from couple to couple but also between husband and wife and even between one dimension and another for a given individual. Changes in congruence of these perceptions between husband and wife and their potential utility were also discussed. Advantages of conceptualizing alcoholism in interactional terms and the importance of developing research techniques that address the interactional variables were also discussed.
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D000437:Alcoholism; D001290:Attitude; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008393:Marriage; D008875:Middle Aged; D012649:Self Concept; D011795:Surveys and Questionnaires