SISTEMS OF COPING IN THE FAMILIES OF ALCOHOLICS

Abstract

The alcoholism is one of the most traditional and most prevalent problems in Chile, affecting especially to the family. The purpose of this study is to identify and relate the coping styles plus effective-use for the families of alcoholics with sociodemographic and psychosocial variables, using Sociodemographic Data Questionnaire, Jalowiec’s Coping Scale, MOS Questionnaire of Social Support, Emphaty Scale (Davis), Proactivity Test (C. Emotional Intelligence of Caracas), and Hernandez’s Family Functioning Scale. The sample is made up by one supporting relative from each family totaling 46 people. The coping styles that resulted in a superior level of effective use for the families, in a decreasing order, were:
optimistic style, supportive, confrontational and self-reliant. These styles, in general, were developed by persons over 41 years old, with primary schooling, and belonging to a low social and economic level, situation that allows us to deduct that all through their lives they have developed a positive style of life in order to co-exist and overcome surrounding adversity thus enabling them to support a relative who is an alcoholic. It is recommended to continue researching into the system of relations among families of alcoholics in Chile.