This master thesis shows the intergenerational presence of alcoholism in the family. It highlights the reflections and memories of individuals who grew up in alcoholic family, their insights into the presence of resilience aspects in the primary family and the roles of these processes in the pursuit of resilient functioning, and the individuals' visions of shaping their own families in the light of past experiences. In the theoretical part of the thesis, I first define the essential assumptions about the family and then ground it as one of the essential systems by means of systems theory, which I extend to the field of ecological theory. I then shed light on current social developments and changes and draw parallels with the transitions in family life today. In the context of complex social situations, I refer to vulnerable families, which include families marked by parental excessive drinking. In the following, I describe the phenomenon of alcoholism and its causes. I touch on its impact on family dynamics, the partnership subsystem and the role of the parent, and on the subsystem of children. In the theoretical part, I put an important emphasis on the concept of family resilience, drawing on the theoretical framework of Froma Walsh. In highlighting the basic components of resilience, I draw parallels with the representation of these components in families affected by alcoholism. I also focus on the orientations for building resilience in vulnerable families. Because of the research focus on a specific population, I also identify the predominant traits of the so-called adult children of alcoholics, and follow this with a renewed focus on resilience, as I describe the outcomes in adulthood of individuals who come from resilient, alcohol-ridden families. In the empirical part of the thesis, I gain insight into the events, attitudes and components of resilience in the primary family through the recollections of the participants and learn about their visions for future family life. A qualitative research approach is pursued and data is obtained through semi-structured interviews. Interviews were conducted with six individuals. The data obtained were processed using the method of content analysis.
The results show that the experience of living with heavy drinking is on a continuum from positive to chaotic to negative. Alcoholism was most often not problematised and the environment in which the family was placed encouraged this behaviour. There was often a rift between the parents, coupled with the abandonment of roles, tasks and responsibilities by family members. Growing up, individuals often felt negative emotions, which triggered various forms of flight. However, the narratives also testify to the presence of positive relational components in the primary family, which acted as a buffer. The range of values, organisational patterns and communication processes was diverse. Within all three components, there were aspects that were perceived by participants as means to achieve resilience, as well as aspects that were disruptive and oriented towards vulnerability. Visions of future family formation appeared to be quite similar among the participants. Despite some of the reservations addressed, all participants are thinking about starting a family in the future. Most of them think that they will act differently from the way their parents acted. The dominant ones feel capable of entering the role of a parent. Despite clear visions, there are also certain fears related to the future, including the introduction of alcohol into the emerging family environment. Despite the many aspects of vulnerability, the results show a lot of potential for growth, which the participants have managed to bring into their lives despite difficult past experiences.
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