Marital dynamics in alcoholism: implications for gender aware de-addiction management

This study compares marital dynamics between wives of alcoholics and those of non-alcoholics, who were matched on key socio-demographic variables. Poor marital adjustment and higher conflict levels were seen in alcohol complicated marriages. Further, these wives reported less marital satisfaction, cohesion, consensus and affectional expression and a higher prevalence of violence and verbal aggression. Implications for social work intervention have been discussed which indicate the need for heightened gender sensitivity in de-addiction management.