We are able to identify the severity of psychosocial problems related to co-occurrence of alcohol use disorders and domestic violence on the news, statistical data and clinical experiences as a clinician. Therefore there are increasing needs for devel...
We are able to identify the severity of psychosocial problems related to co-occurrence of alcohol use disorders and domestic violence on the news, statistical data and clinical experiences as a clinician. Therefore there are increasing needs for development and improvement of programs and therapeutic justice system tailored to the clients with co-occurrent problems.
However Therapeutic justice system and characterized programs for co-occurrence clients in Korea are still insufficient compared with America. We have few researches not only the characteristics distinguishing co-occurrence clients form the clients with alcohol-related problems but also domestic violence. Moreover researches about the way of which alcohol have an effect on domestic violence are still deficient.
In preceding researches, researchers chose different variables relied upon their research purpose among various demographic, alcohol-related, and psychosocial variables. It made difficult to understand in integrated way the association of characteristic variables distinguishing co-occurrent group from other groups. Moreover then It made it difficult to predict the relapse of domestic violence.
The purpose of this study is to identify characteristic variables that can distinguish co-occurrence group from non-co-occurrence group(study 1-1) as well as specific variables that can differentiate domestic violence relapse group after the therapeutic intervention in co-occurrence group(study 1-2). Qualitative research was conducted to explore the changes within alcoholics after treatment based on the actual experience(study 2). On this study we recruited families of the alcoholics to prevent the possibility of denial and distortion during interview.
On study 1, decision tree analysis was conducted because some factors was normative and continuum scale. Dependant variable was 'co-occurrence vs. non-co-occurrence' in study 1-1 and 'relapse vs. recovering' of domestic violence in study 1-2. Demographic(7), alcohol-related(23), and psychosocial(29) variables included as independent variables.
The results of Study 1-1 indicated that low level of insight, alcohol dependent level(physical dependence, cravings et al.), and a tendency of hostile and egocentric personality are effectively discriminated co-occurrence clients. Also in Study 1-2, the more clients have unstable personality trend emotionally and overtly, have poor coping skill, and low level of insights(motivation to change) about drinking-problems the higher possibility the clients would explode their aggressive impulse to family members after drinking. In contrast, for the person who show higher effort for abstinence, controlled drinking, nonrelapse posibility of domestic violence increased up to 90% which suggest alcohol treatment-centered approach is effective to prevent domestic violence from relapse.
Consistent with the findings of Study 1, in Study 2 families of non-relapse of domestic violence reported increase of readiness to change which include increasing insights and effort to change drinking behavior and decrease of hostile attitude in the clients. Whereas, families of the relapse reported persistent of alcohol problem and emotional unstability. It was also revealed that changes within family members(insights of co-dependance and attemps to change) contribute alcoholics to relearning inhibiting their aggressive impulse as well as their own recovery, which ascertain importance of family based approach.
Co-occurring problemsence of drinking and domestic violence and relapse of domestic violence could be explained by the theory of selective disinhibition(Parker, 1995). Alcohol treatment-centered approach included family approach made it possible to increase of insights and practical effort for change in alcoholic. This made the clients to learn new context of inhibition of aggressive impulse.
Based on these results, It was stated a need for alcohol treatment-centered rehabilitation approach concerning th matters including 1)facilitation of readiness to change, 2)intervention to emotional regulation, 3)facilitation of changes within family member, and 4)making connection with family members. Finally limitations and meanings of this study were discussed.