Perceived family environment in spouses of alcohol-dependent patients

Objective: To assess the perceived family environment of spouses of alcohol-dependent individuals in comparison to control subjects. Participants and Methods: Sample consisted of 30 spouses of patients diagnosed with alcohol dependence syndrome (ICD-10 DCR) and 30 spouses of normal controls (GHQ-12 score<3). The Hindi version of the Family Environment Scale was administered to all the participants. Results: Spouses of alcohol-dependent patients scored significantly lower on cohesion (p< 0.0001, Cohen's d = 1.47), expressiveness (p< 0.0001, Cohen's d = 1.49), independence (p = 0.0002, Cohen's d = 1.04), achievement orientation (p< 0.0001, Cohen's d = 1.67), intellectual cultural orientation (p = 0.0002, Cohen's d = 1.06), active recreational orientation (p< 0.0001, Cohen's d = 1.15), moral religious emphasis (p< 0.0001,Cohen's d = 1.33) and organization (p = 0.0009, Cohen's d = 0.92) than control group. However, there was no difference in control and conflict domains between the two groups. Conclusion: From the spousal perspective, family environment is disrupted in alcohol-dependent patients.