The self as mediator in the psychopathology of female children of alcoholics.
Theoreticians long have argued for the centrality of strength or poverty of self-definitions in the prediction and understanding of psychopathology. In this research an empirical measure of strength of self-definition was developed based on the work of Hazel Markus. Consistency of self-description and resistance to challenge for this self-description were found to be related to reported alcoholism, trust, and life satisfaction/depression in children of alcoholics. In fact, nearly all variance in life satisfaction and alcoholism differentiating children of alcoholics (COA) from non-COA groups was controlled by the self variables. Clinical and theoretical implications of the significant findings were discussed.
Drozd
L M
LM
California School of Professional Psychology, San Diego 92121.
Dalenberg
C J
CJ
D000328:Adult; D000437:Alcoholism / Q000523:psychology*; D016241:Child of Impaired Parents / Q000523:psychology*; D003866:Depressive Disorder / Q000523:psychology*; D004532:Ego; D005260:Female; D005783:Gender Identity; D006801:Humans; D007389:Internal-External Control; D008875:Middle Aged; D010553:Personality Development; D010555:Personality Inventory; D011599:Psychopathology; D012649:Self Concept; D012931:Social Environment