Metamemory Processing in Recovering Alcoholics

Previous research has shown that metamemory is not affected by alcohol consumption in non-alcoholics, but that it is affected in Korsakoff patients. In this study, recovering alcoholic, male Army personnel were administered the FACTRETRIEVAL2 program (Wilkinson & Nelson, 1984) to determine if recovering alcoholics would exhibit metamemory deficiencies as compared to non-alcoholic male, Army personnel. There was no suggestion in the data that these recovering alcoholics had any greater difficulty in retrieving general information from long-term memory, in recognizing answers to questions they had missed, or that they exhibited any metamemory deficiencies. Within the limits of this study, the metacognitive measures used found nothing to indicate differences in the accuracy of memory self-awareness of the alcoholic sample.     

Creativity and Leisure for Recovering Alcoholics

The use of creativity and leisure as components of recovery from alcoholism are outlined in this article. Counseling strategies for incorporating these concepts into meaningful programs of recovery are presented.     

The Effects of Parental Alcoholism upon Locus of Control and Intimacy of Recovering Alcoholics

Abstract

This study examines the effects of parental alcoholism on the differentiation of self, locus of control scores among 68 members of Alcoholics Anonymous (AA) in New Jersey 46 of whom were adult children of alcoholics (ACOA). ACOAs with alcoholic mothers had higher chance external locus of control scores than did ACOAs with an alcoholic father. ACOAs with alcoholic mothers had lower spousal intimacy scores than did the ACOA group with both alcoholic parents.     

Locus of Control,Emotional Maturity and Family Dynamics as Components of Recovery in Recovering Alcoholics

A group of recovering alcoholics in A.A. is compared with a group of non-problem drinkers. Measures of locus of control, emotional maturity and intimacy with parents are used as points of comparison. The A.A. group differs significantly with the other group in its greater belief in an external locus of control, in its greater emotional dependency and its lower intimacy level with parents. A linear relationship is found between length of sobriety and an internal locus of control in the recovering group.     

Alcoholics Anonymous

This article explores some of the philosophical roots of Alcoholics Anonymous. Parallels between AA, existentialism and phenomenology are outlined. The success of AA is related to its ability to place the alcoholic's suffering within a meaningful paradigm and to require the alcoholic to accept responsibility and limitations while breaking the pattern of isolation and alienation.     

Platelet Adenylyl Cyclase Activity in Alcoholics and Subtypes of Alcoholics

Adenylyl cyclase (AC) activity was measured in membrane preparations of platelets from control and alcoholic subjects. The sample consisted of 51 alcoholics who were categorized as type I or type II using the criteria of Gilligan et al. ( Genet. Epidemiol. 4:395–414, 1987) and 54 normal controls. Alcoholic males exhibited significantly lower values than controls in basal and fluoride-stimulated platelet AC activity. When male alcoholics were segregated into type I and type II categories, the platelet AC activity did not differ between subtypes, and both subtypes had AC activity that was below control values. Western blot analysis of the quantity of G_sα and G_iα proteins in a subset of male controls and alcoholic subjects demonstrated no significant relationship between quantity of G proteins and AC activity. The results confirm lower platelet AC activity in male alcoholics, compared with controls. Given the lack of quantitative relations between G_sα and G_iα proteins and AC activity, the results support the contention that individual differences in platelet AC activity in the alcoholic subjects may reflect quantitative or qualitative differences in the AC catalytic units.     

Adult Children of Alcoholics

Adult children of alcoholics constitute the largest number of people affected by the disease of alcoholism. As a result of their childhood experiences they are high risk candidates not only for alcoholism in particular, but for a dysfunctional life style in general. This article discusses some of the characteristics that result from this environment, what the implications are in the development of a treatment plan, and appropriate and inappropriate treatment strategies.     

Children of Alcoholics:

Children of alcoholics are now seen as a special population of persons who are at risk for a host of medical, psychological and social problems. Because of genetic predisposition, these children are at increased risk for the development of alcoholism. Alcohol's impact upon the developing fetus may result in fetal alcohol syndrome or fetal alcohol effects. The psychological and social impact of alcoholism on the family may result in personality problems of various kinds. Progress in this area of investigation will depend upon development of typology of alcoholic families, alcoholics, and drinking patterns since variation in all of these is likely to result in varying impact upon children. Treatment of children of alcoholics must avoid stereotypes, follow from careful individualized assessments of the family, and involve many modalities and varied strategies.     

Adult Children of Alcoholics

This article reports the results of research designed to identify personality characteristics and psychopathology of adult children of alcoholics (ACOA profile), using the Clinical Analysis Questionnaire. Subjects were divided into four groups based on whether they were alcoholic adults who were not ACOAs (n = 73, alcoholic adults who were ACOAs (n = 91), adults who were not alcoholics but were ACOAs (n = 60), and controls who were neither alcoholics or ACOAs (n = 51). Analysis of the data revealed significant differences exist among the four groups that suggest a personality profile unique to adult children of alcoholics does not exist, however, one for alcoholics who are also ACOAs does.     

Children of Alcoholics:

This article reports results of a study designed to determine differences among three populations: college-aged children of alcoholics seeking treatment; college-aged children of alcoholics not seeking treatment; and a control group of college-aged non-children of alcoholics. Further, outcome data was gathered with regard to the children of alcoholics treatment groups populated by subjects of this study. Significant differences were determined among the three groups studied, and support was determined for the therapeutic value of group treatment with children of alcoholics.     

Adult Children of Alcoholics

The purpose of this study was to develop the Mucowski Typology inventory, to test the hypothetical constructs regarding adult children from alcoholic families (ACOAs) prouosed by Claudia Black. This was done in order to discriminate them from others who were not raised in families in which there was alcoholism present. The subjects used in this study included entering freshmen college students and volunteer ACOAs identified through the ACOA Networker. Data from the subjects' responses to the Mucowski Typology Inventory were factor analyzed to establish the structure of the instrument. Results showed that three of Black's hypothesized typologies emerged along with other factors which Wegscheider hypothesized in her typology. Additional factors, the Obstinate Naysayer, Avoider and Stabilizer, also appeared; the current researchers attempted to identify these additional types based upon role characteristics that emerged from the study.     

Parathyroid Activity in Alcoholics

Fourteen alcoholics were tested as they were admitted to hospital because of alcohol intoxication. Their serum calcium level was low and their parathyroid hormone activity high - the difference was not quite significant. However, after on average 10 days of abstinence the serum calcium level increased and the parathyroid hormone activity decreased, both significantly.     

Brain Lesions in Alcoholics

Brain lesions in alcoholics are multifactorial in origin. Ethanol neurotoxicity, Wernicke's encephalopathy, hepatocerebral degeneration, head trauma, central pontine myelinolysis, Marchiafava-Bignami syndrome, pellagra, and premorbid pathological conditions, such as fetal alcohol syndrome, may all contribute to cognitive dysfunction in alcoholics. With the exception of ethanol neurotoxicity, all of these conditions are associated with specific neuropathological lesions. Wernicke's encephalopathy, the neurological syndrome of thiamine deficiency, is frequently overlooked during life and may cause global dementia as well as the more familiar Korsakoff's amnestic syndrome. Distinguishing ethanol neurotoxicity from nutritional deficiency can be facilitated by magnetic resonance imaging, which can visualize some of the specific macroscopic lesions of Wernicke's encephalopathy, central pontine myelinolysis, cerebellar degeneration, and Marchiafava-Bignami syndrome. Computerized morphometric studies of alcoholic brains have revealed ventricular enlargement, selective loss of subcortical white matter, and alterations in neuronal size, number, architecture, and synaptic complexity. These lesions tend to be more severe when there is coexisting nutritional deficiency or liver disease, suggesting that ethanol neurotoxicity may not be the sole cause. A search for similar lesions in nonalcoholic Wernicke's encephalopathy and nonalcoholic liver disease will help determine the specificity of these lesions.