Publication Date

2023

Document Type

Dissertation/Thesis

First Advisor

Fickling, Melissa

Degree Name

Ph.D. (Doctor of Philosophy)

Legacy Department

Department of Counseling and Higher Education (CAHE)

Abstract

Alcohol Use Disorders (AUD) destroy the health of many afflicted people, as well as their affected family members (AFMs). The purpose of this quantitative dissertation was to explore relevant variables for AFMs based on ambiguous loss theory and relational frame theory. In this study, 310 AFMs completed online surveys through MTurk. Differences in AFMs’ Al-Anon involvement (i.e., no involvement, newcomer, member) were investigated relative to psychological flexibility, psychological inflexibility, boundary ambiguity, distress, and ambiguous loss resilience (i.e., ambiguity tolerance). Results indicated Al-Anon involvement was not a significant variable in relation to AFMs’ distress or ambiguity tolerance outcomes. Psychological flexibility, psychological inflexibility, and boundary ambiguity explained 61.2% of the total variance in AFMs’ distress outcomes (R² = .612, F(3, 304) = 162.114, p < .000). Psychological flexibility, psychological inflexibility, and boundary ambiguity explained 24.1% of the total variance in AFMs’ ambiguity tolerance outcomes (R² = .241, F(3, 303) = 33.467, p < .000). Evidence indicated psychological inflexibility was the most important predictor variable relative to AFMs’ distress and ambiguity tolerance outcomes.

Extent

174 pages

Language

eng

Publisher

Northern Illinois University

Rights Statement

In Copyright

Rights Statement 2

NIU theses are protected by copyright. They may be viewed from Huskie Commons for any purpose, but reproduction or distribution in any format is prohibited without the written permission of the authors.

Media Type

Text

Download

Share

COinS