IOSR Journal Of Humanities And Social Science (IOSR-JHSS) Volume 21, Issue 7, Ver. 1 (July. 2016) PP 44-50 e-ISSN: 2279-0837, p-ISSN: 2279-0845. www.iosrjournals.org DOI: 10.9790/0837-2107014450 www.iosrjournals.org 44 | Page Family Emotional Over-Involvement and Relapse among Inpatient Alcoholics in Nairobi, Kenya Githae, Eunice Njango 1 , Sirera, Merecia 2 , &Wasanga, Christine 3 1,2,3 (Psychology Department: Kenyatta University, Kenya) Abstract: Family interactional patterns have been proposed as significant in relapse of most psychiatric disorders. Many studies have demonstrated that patterns of interactions of family members affect the quality of relationships within such families. Research, particularly in Systems Theories, has also indicated that the ways in which family members interact with each other is cyclic and affect recovery and sustainability of treatment among psychiatric patients. Although the relationship between family communication dynamics and psychiatric relapse has received much attention, few studies have focused on such dynamics within alcoholic families. This study has examined one of the interactional patterns referred to as emotional over-involvement (EOI) among close family members with alcoholic patients. The study is underpinned by the Family Systems Theory (Minuchin, 1974), and views alcoholism as a „family illness‟. The study derived samples from inpatient alcoholics in rehabilitation centers (N=186) and their family members in Nairobi County, Kenya. The Alcohol Use Disorders Identification Test (AUDIT) was used to assess for alcoholism, while a questionnaire was generated to assess family EOI. Interviews were also carried out and were corroborated with the questionnaires. Pearson correlations and regression analyses showed that EOI was statistically significant at p=0.000<0.05 and had a predictive value of .471. This meant that EOI expressed by family members was a very significant predictor for relapse among recovering alcoholics. Keywords: emotional over-involvement, relapse, expressed emotion, addiction, rehabilitation/treatment, alcoholism, abstinence. I. INTRODUCTION The course of alcoholism has been related to many factors, some of which are found within the individual (Witkiewitz&Marlatt, 2004) while others exist in the social milieu in which the alcoholic lives (Chan, 2003; Lipps, 1999). The individual and social support factors are seen as bidirectional, whereby each influences the other in a cyclic manner(Nichols &Schwartz, 2006; Goldenberg & Goldenberg, 2013). The family is seen to be the strongest social factor implicated in the course of alcoholism (De Maio, 1989). A supportive family environment is associated with better prognosis and successful reduction of drug use during treatment(Copello, Velleman, & Templeton, 2005). There is strong evidence to support the effectiveness of family interventions in alcoholism treatment (Chan, 2003), which demonstrates that family therapy improves the overall quality of family relationships and functioning, which in turn improves the treatment outcome in substance use (Saatcioglu, Erim&Cakmak, 2006; Beattie, 2001). However, family has also been implicated in inadvertently or involuntarily leading an individual family member to maladjusted behaviour such as drug use (Collins, 1990). There appears to be dynamics within the family that are likely to contribute to instability within the recovering alcoholic that may result to relapse after treatment. Some family interactions that appear to be supportive may, in fact, promote relapse (Antoine, Christophe, &Nandrino, 2009; Orford, Velleman, Copello, Templeton, &Ibanga, 2010).Such interactions are mechanisms by family members to cope with the disorder, but become counterproductive and instead shield the addict from the negative consequences for his actions (Raitasalo&Holmila, 2005). These coping mechanisms often termed as codependence have also been referred to as enmeshment according to Rotunda and O‟Farrell (1998). This study t herefore aimed at examining how some family interaction patterns end up contributing to a significant role in the course of alcoholism, particularly in relapse. In his Family Systems Theory, Minuchin (1974) the concept of enmeshment seems to describe the patterns of behaviour depicted by emotional over-involvement. These are tightly interconnected relationships with unclear boundary lines. Minuchin described such families as too involved with each other to have clear lines of authority, and so entangled that leadership roles are diffuse in such families. Such enmeshment makes them over-react, give excessive concern to each other, and become intrusively involved with one another. EOI comprises of elements of overprotection, self-sacrifice and over caring attitudes (Hooley &Gotlib, 2000). Families that have a member with a problem take it as their responsibility and obligation to take care and provide for this individual (Carlson, 2011; Collins, 1990). There are no clear boundaries of individual choices