“Have a Sip of This”: The Impact of Family on the Drinking Patterns of Untreated Heavy Drinkers Living in the West Midlands, UK

Abstract

In a project investigating the experiences of heavy drinkers in the community, one aspect of it focused on family interactions and family drinking patterns. Two-hour, one-to-one confidential interviews were conducted with 501 male and female participants, ages 25–55, drinking a weekly average of 50+ units if male and 35+ units if female, and untreated for their drinking in the last 10 years. A mixture of qualitative and quantitative data was collected from each participant. This included detailed questioning about family (both family of origin and adult family) relationships and drinking patterns and their possible influence on the participant's own drinking patterns. Additional qualitative data collected on a sub-sample of 30 participants formed the basis of a three-stage grounded theory analysis, which allowed for the ongoing development and exploration of emerging themes. Analysis culminated in the development of three conceptual models: Family Traditions Model, Relationship Cohesion Model, and Emotional Blocking Model. The paper presents these models and outlines their influence on the individual drinking patterns of untreated heavy drinkers.