A Study to Identify the Correlation between Psychological Problems & Coping Strategies Adopted by the Wives of the Alcoholics Attending the Selected De-addiction Centres in Mangalore

Alcoholism is a chronic, often progressive disease in which a person craves alcohol and drinks despite repeated alcohol related problems. Families with alcohol problems live in a painful chaos. The wife of an alcoholic, who enters into marital life with a heart full of expectations, becomes exhausted, when she faces tough life situations, from the alcoholic husband. The wife of an alcoholic may experience psychological problems due to her life with alcoholic husband. The problems may be arguments about drinking, role change, conflicts, quarrels and even physical violence.1

The aim of this study was to correlate the psychological problems and the coping strategies adopted by the wives of alcoholics. Materials and Method: Descriptive survey approach with correlational research design was adopted in the study. Total of 30 wives of alcoholics were selected through purposive sampling technique. The data was gathered by using psychological assessment checklist and modified BRIEF cope inventory was used. The data was analyzed using descriptive and inferential statistics.

Most (93%) of wives of alcoholics were having problems like feeling sad, feeling of loneliness and neglected in the community. About (80%) of the samples had disturbed sleep and getting irritated over silly things and (27%) of them had a feeling of helplessness and hopelessness. The study also revealed that there was a weak negative correlation (r=-0.1, p=0.688) between the psychological problems and the coping strategies adopted by the wives of alcoholics and it is statistically not significant.

Alcoholism is family fatal disease which disturbs the entire family rather an alcoholic. So there is a need of an immediate attention to promote the wellbeing of the wives of alcoholics.