Skip to main content
SpringerLink
Log in

Alcoholism in the Family

A Multicultural Exploration

  • Chapter
Recent Developments in Alcoholism

Part of the book series: Recent Developments in Alcoholism ((RDIA,volume 12))

Abstract

The initial focus is on defining race, culture, and ethnicity, followed by a review of the extent of alcohol and alcohol use consequences among African-Americans and Native Americans. Cultural specificity in an historical context is provided. A brief overview of gaps in the incident and prevalence data is presented. The biosociocultural context of drinking among African-American women with specific emphasis on cultural disruption, socialization, and social class is explored. A triracial infant girl (African-American/Native American/German-Irish-American), whose family genogram documents, by the case study method, six generations back to slavery, is presented. The alcohol use patterns within this family are somewhat illustrative of historical patterns and of racial and ethnic import. An absence of religiosity/spirituality is noted. The family genogram is followed by a discussion of the limitations of the case study method of family genograms. The final section relates the findings of the family genogram back to the extant data and the gaps in the collection of data regarding the epidemiology of alcoholism across groups. It highlights the recent findings and questions raised by those findings from cross-cultural and racial studies of alcoholism among women of color.

This is a preview of subscription content, log in via an institution to check access.

Access this chapter

Log in via an institution
Chapter
USD 29.95
Price excludes VAT (USA)
  • Available as PDF
  • Read on any device
  • Instant download
  • Own it forever
eBook
USD 169.00
Price excludes VAT (USA)
  • Available as EPUB and PDF
  • Read on any device
  • Instant download
  • Own it forever
Softcover Book
USD 219.99
Price excludes VAT (USA)
  • Compact, lightweight edition
  • Dispatched in 3 to 5 business days
  • Free shipping worldwide - see info
Hardcover Book
USD 219.99
Price excludes VAT (USA)
  • Durable hardcover edition
  • Dispatched in 3 to 5 business days
  • Free shipping worldwide - see info

Tax calculation will be finalised at checkout

Purchases are for personal use only

Institutional subscriptions

Preview

Unable to display preview. Download preview PDF.

Unable to display preview. Download preview PDF.

References

  1. Fegin J: Racial and Ethnic Relations. Englewood Cliffs, NJ, Prentice Hall, 1978.

    Google Scholar 

  2. Butler JP: Of kindred minds: The ties that bind, in Orlando MA, Weston R, Epstein L (eds): Cultural Competence for Evaluators, A Guide for Alcohol Drug Abuse Prevention Practitioners Working with Ethnic/Racial Communities. Rockville, MD, US Department of Health and Human Services, 1992, p 25.

    Google Scholar 

  3. Bell P, Evans J: Counseling the Black Client: Alcohol UseandAbusein Black America. Minneapolis, MN, Hazelden Foundation, 1981.

    Google Scholar 

  4. Mintz SW: Forward, in Whitten NE Jr, Szwed JF (eds): Afro-American Anthropology: contemporary Perspectives.New York, Free Press, 1970, pp 1–16.

    Google Scholar 

  5. Nobles W: African philosophy: Foundations for black psychology, in Jones RH (ed): Black Psychology. New York, Harper & Row, 1972, pp 18–32.

    Google Scholar 

  6. Bureau of the Census: General Population Characteristics. United States Summary. 1980 Census of Population. Washington, DC, US Department of Commerce, May 1983.

    Google Scholar 

  7. John R: The Native American family, in Mindel CH, Habenstein RW, Wright R Jr (eds): Ethnic Families in America. New York, Elsevier, 1988, pp 325–363.

    Google Scholar 

  8. U.S. Department of Commerce: American Indian Era and Alaskan Native Village: 1980. Washington, DC, US Government Printing Offices, 1984.

    Google Scholar 

  9. Bureau of the Census: America’s BlackPopulation, 1970–1982: A Statistical View. Washington, DC, US Department of Commerce, Bureau of the Census, 1983.

    Google Scholar 

  10. Bureau of the Census: American Indian Areas in the Last of Native Villages: 1980 Census of the Population. Supplementary Report. Washington, DC, US Department of Commerce, January 8, 1984.

    Google Scholar 

  11. Bureau of the Census: American Indian Eskimo and Aleut Populations. Washington, DC, US Department of Commerce, Bureau of the Census, January 8, 1984.

    Google Scholar 

  12. Seventh Special Report to the US Congress on Alcohol and Health. US Department of Health and Human Services Publication ADM 281-88-0002. Rockville, MD, National Institute on Alcohol Abuse and Alcoholism, 1990.

    Google Scholar 

  13. Report of the Secretary’s Task Force on Black and Minority Health, vol 1: Executive Summary. Washington, DC, US Government Printing Office, 1985.

    Google Scholar 

  14. Harper F (ed): Alcohol Abuse in Black America. Alexandria, VA, Douglas Publishers, 1976.

    Google Scholar 

  15. Harper F, Dawkins M: Alcohol and blacks: Survey of the periodical literature. Br J Addict 71:327–334,1976.

    CAS  Google Scholar 

  16. Greeley AM, McCready WC, TheisenG: Ethnic Drinking Subcultures. New York, Praeger 1980.

    Google Scholar 

  17. Harper FD: Research and treatment with black alcoholics. Alcohol Health Res World 1022:10–16,1980.

    Google Scholar 

  18. Dawkins MP: Alcoholism prevention and black youth. J Drug lssues 18:15–20, 1988.

    Google Scholar 

  19. Wolin SJ, Bennett LA, Noonan DL, Teitelbaum MA: Disruptive family rituals: A factor in the intergenerational transmission of alcoholism. J Stud Alcohol 41:199–214, 1980.

    PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  20. Heard D: The epidemiology of drinking patterns in alcohol related problems among US blacks, in Spiegler L, Tate DA, Aitken S, Christin M (eds): Alcohol Use Among U.S. Ethnic Minorities, NIDA Research Monograph 18 DHHS Publications Number (ADM) 89-1435. Rockville, MD, US Department of Health and Human Services, 1989, pp 3–50.

    Google Scholar 

  21. Lex B: Review of alcohol problems in ethnic minority groups. J Consult Clin Psychol 55:293–300,1987.

    PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  22. National Institute on Drug Abuse: National Household Survey on Drug Abuse, Population Estimates 1990. U.S. Department of Health and Human Services Publication ADM 91-1732. Washington, DC, US Government Printing Office, 1991.

    Google Scholar 

  23. Heard D: Black-white differences in drinking problems among US males. Presented at the 35th International Congress of the International Council on Alcohol and Addiction, Oslow, Norway, August 1988.

    Google Scholar 

  24. Hubbard RL, Schlenger WE, Rachal JV, et al: Patterns of alcohol and drug abuse in drug treatment clients from different ethnic backgrounds. Ann NYAcad Sci 472:60–74, 1986.

    CAS  Google Scholar 

  25. Caetano R: Ethnicity and drinking in Northern California: A comparison among whites, blacks andhispanics. Alcohol Alcohol 1026:31–44, 1984.

    Google Scholar 

  26. Robyak JE, Byers PH, Prange ME: Patterns of alcohol abuse among black and white alcoholics. IntJ Addict 24(5904):715–724, 1989.

    CAS  Google Scholar 

  27. Knupfer G, Laurie E: Characteristics of Abstainers: A Comparison of Drinkers and Non-drinkers ina Large California city (Drinking Practices Study Report No. 3). Berkely, CA, State Department of Public Health, 1961.

    Google Scholar 

  28. Russell M: Alcohol use and related problems among black and white gynecologic patients, in Spiegler L, Tate DA, Aitken S, Christian M (eds): Alcohol Use among US Ethnic Minorities. NIAAA Monograph No. 18, DHHS Publ. No. (ADM) 89-1435. Washington, DC, US Department of Health and Human Services, 1989, pp 75–94.

    Google Scholar 

  29. Wechsler H, Demone H, Gottlieb N: Drinking patterns of Greater Boston adults: Subgroup differences on the QFU index. J Stud Alcohol 41:672–681, 1980.

    Google Scholar 

  30. Johnson P, Armor D, Polich S, Stambul H: USDrinkingPractices: Time Trends, Social Correlates and Sex Roles. Rockville, MD, National Institute on Alcohol Abuse and Alcoholism, 1977.

    Google Scholar 

  31. Lillie-Blanton M, Mackenzie E, Anthony J: Black-white differences in alcohol use by women: Baltimore survey findings. Public Health Rep 10:124–133, 1991.

    Google Scholar 

  32. 32. Aubick AL, Csemy L, Kozeny J: The socio-demographic micro-social and attitudinal contact of Czech women’s drinking. Paper presented at the Symposium on Alcohol, Family and Significant Others. A Social Research Institute of Alcohol Studies and Nordic Council for Alcohol and Drug Research, Polenski, Finland, March 1991.

    Google Scholar 

  33. Spak F, Hallstrom T WAG (women and alcohol in: Gothenburg). Nordic Council for Alcohol and Drug Research (NAD) Publication No. 14, 1986, pp 127–132.

    Google Scholar 

  34. Spak F, Hallstrom T Validation of a screening instrument for use with female populations. Paper presented at the 18th Annual Symposium of the Kettil Bruun Society for Social and Epidemiological Research on Alcohol, Toronto, Ontario, Canada, June 1992.

    Google Scholar 

  35. Wilsnack SC, Klassen AD, Schur BE, Wilsnack RW: Predicting onset and chronicity and women’s problem drinking: A five-year longitudinal analysis. Am J Public Health 81:305–318, 1991.

    Article  PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  36. Hill SY: A vulnerability model for alcoholism in women. Focus on women. J Addict Health 2:68–91,1981.

    Google Scholar 

  37. Jonsson E, Nilsson T: Alcoholkonsumtion hos monozygota och dizygota tvillinpar (Alcohol consumption in monozygotic and dizygotic pairs of twins). Nordsk Hygienisk Tidskrift 49:21–25,1968.

    CAS  Google Scholar 

  38. Rogler LH, Malgady RG, Constantino G, Blumenthal R: What do culturally sensitive mental health services mean? The case of Hispanics. Am Psychol 42:565–570, 1987.

    Article  PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  39. Parrish KM, Higuchi S, Stinson FS, et al: The association of drinking levels and drinking attitudes among Japanese in Japan and Japanese-Americans in Hawaii and California. J Subst Abuse4:165–177, 1992.

    Article  PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  40. Atkinson DR, Whitley S, Gin RH: Asian-American acculturation and preferences for health providers. J Coll Stud Dev 31:155–161,1990.

    Google Scholar 

  41. Sasaki T: Intercultural research of drinking between Japanese American and mainland Japanese: 1 Drinking patterns in problem drinking. Jpn J Alcohol Drug Depend 20(1):28–39, 1985.

    CAS  Google Scholar 

  42. Attneave C: American Indians and Alaska Native families: Immigrants in their own homeland, in McGoldrick M, Pierce J, Giordano J (eds): Ethnicity and Family Therapy. New York, Guilford Press, 1982, pp 55–83.

    Google Scholar 

  43. Szapocznik J, Kurtines W: Acculturation, biculturalism, and adjustment among Cuban Americans, in Padilla AM (ed): Acculturation, Theory, Models and Some New Findings. Boulder, CO, Westview Press, 1980, pp 139–160.

    Google Scholar 

  44. Buss DM: Human mate selection. Am Sci 73:4751, 1985.

    Google Scholar 

  45. Stabenau JR, Hesselbrock VM: Family pedigree of alcoholic and control patients. IntJ Addict 18:351–363,1983.

    CAS  Google Scholar 

  46. Gordon T: Notes on white and black psychology. J Soc Issues 29:87–95, 1973.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  47. Liepman Mr, Goldman RE, Monroe AD, et al: Substance abuse by special populations of women, in Gomberg ES, Nirenberg TD (eds): Women and Substance Abuse. Norwood, NJ, Ablex, 1993, pp 214–257.

    Google Scholar 

  48. Merikangas KR, Leckman JF, Prusoff BA, et al: Familial transmission of depression in alcoholism. Arch Gen Psychiatry 42:367–372, 1985.

    PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  49. Cloninger CR, Reicht T: Genetic heterogeneity in alcoholism and sociopathy, in Ketys S, Rowland LP, Sidman R, Matthysse S (eds): Genetics of Neurological and Psychiatric Disorders. New York, Raven Press, 1983, pp 145–166.

    Google Scholar 

  50. Winoknor G, Reicht T, Rimmer J, Pitts F: Alcoholism III: Diagnosis and familial psychiatric illness in 259 alcoholic probans. Arch Gen Psychiatry 23:104–111, 1970.

    Google Scholar 

  51. Stabenau J: Implications of family history of alcoholism, antisocial personality, and sex differences in alcohol dependence. Am J Psychiatry 141:1178–1182, 1984.

    PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  52. Cloninger CR, Lewis C, Rice J, Reicht T: Strategies for resolution of biological and cultural inheritance, in Gershon BS, Matthysse S, Breakefield XO, Ciaranello RD (eds): Genetic Research Strategies for Psychobiology and Psychiatry. Pacific Grove, CA, Boxwood Press, 1981, pp 319–332.

    Google Scholar 

  53. Remmer J, Chambers DS: Alcoholism: Methodological considerations in the study of family illness. Am J Orthopsychiatry 39:760, 1969.

    Google Scholar 

  54. Goodwin DW: Is alcoholism hereditary? A review and critique. Arch Gen Psychiaty 25(12):545–579,1971.

    CAS  Google Scholar 

  55. Brisbane FL: Personal communication, 1994.

    Google Scholar 

  56. Fleming CM: American Indians and Alaska natives: Changing societies past and present. In: Orlandi MA, Weston R, and Leonard L, Cultural Competence for Evaluators: A Guide for Alcohol and Other Drug Abuse Prevention Practitioners Working with Ethnic/Racial Communities. DHHS, DHS, ADAMHA, OSAP, Pub # (ADM) 92-1884. Rockville MD, US Department of Health and Human Services, 1992.

    Google Scholar 

  57. Trimble JE: Stereotypical images, American Indians and prejudice, in Katz PA, Taylor DA (eds): Eliminating Racism, Profiles in Controversy. New York, PlenumPress, 1988, pp 181–202.

    Google Scholar 

  58. Oetting ER, Beaubas F: Epidemiology and correlates of alcohol use among Indian adolescents living on reservations, in Spiegler L, Tate DA, Aitken S, Christian M (eds): Alcohol Use Among US Ethnic Minorities. NIAAA Research Monograph No. 18. Rockville, MD, US Department of Health and Human Services, 1989, pp 239–267.

    Google Scholar 

  59. Keith Heheh D American Indians and alcohol: Epidemiological and social cultural relevance, in Spiegler L, Tate DA, Aitken S, Christian M (eds): Alcohol Use among US Ethnic Minorities. NIAAA Research Monograph No. 18. Rockville, MD, US Department of Health and Human Services, 1989, pp 207–222.

    Google Scholar 

  60. Lindberg E: Drinking among American Indians, in Gomberg EL, White HR, Carpenter J (eds): Alcohol, Science and Society Revisited. New Brunswick, NJ, Rutgers Center for Alcohol Studies, 1982 pp 80–95.

    Google Scholar 

  61. Whitaker JO: Alcohol and the Standing Rock Sioux Tribe, II. QJ Stud Alcohol 24:80–90, 1963.

    Google Scholar 

Download references

Author information

Authors and Affiliations

  1. Interventions, Chicago, Illinois, 60605

    Andrea G. Barthwell

Authors
  1. Andrea G. Barthwell
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

Editor information

Editors and Affiliations

  1. New York University School of Medicine, New York, New York

    Marc Galanter (Associate Editor) (Associate Editor)

Rights and permissions

Reprints and permissions

Copyright information

© 2002 Kluwer Academic Publishers

About this chapter

Cite this chapter

Barthwell, A.G. (2002). Alcoholism in the Family. In: Galanter, M., et al. Recent Developments in Alcoholism. Recent Developments in Alcoholism, vol 12. Springer, Boston, MA. https://doi.org/10.1007/0-306-47138-8_24

Download citation

  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/0-306-47138-8_24

  • Publisher Name: Springer, Boston, MA

  • Print ISBN: 978-0-306-44921-5

  • Online ISBN: 978-0-306-47138-4

  • eBook Packages: Springer Book Archive

Publish with us

Policies and ethics

Search

Navigation