Social Support, Coping Resources and Codependence in Spouses of Individuals with Alcohol and Drug Dependence

This study examines the relationship between social support, coping resources and codependence in the wives of individuals with drug and alcohol dependence. Thirty male individuals each with drug and alcohol dependence were assessed for severity of addiction by Addiction Severity Index (ASI). Their wives were administered Social Support Scale (SSS). Coping Resources Inventory (CRI) and Codependence Assessment Questionnaire (CAQ). Of the sixty patients, forty nine were found to be codependent. On ASI, the codependent group had more impairment in the financial and the legal domains of the husbands whereas non codependent group had more impairment in the psychological domain. Codependent wives had lower coping resources and social support. On multivariate analysis, three variables were found to be significant predictors of the development of codependence in the wives. These were (i) husbands'duration of drug or alcohol abuse, (ii) total CRI score and (Hi) husbands' ASI employment score.