Spouse Sobriety Influence Inventory (SSII)
Spouse Sobriety Influence Inventory (SSII) used in psychology are essential tools for clinical and research assessments. This post is based on dissertations submitted by students during their academic programs. At ‘Mental Health,’ we arrange and provide these resources to you. Here is the complete list of resources (Click Here). To access these materials, click on the ‘Avail File’ section below.”
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About Spouse Sobriety Influence Inventory (SSII)
The Spouse Sobriety Influence Inventory (SSII) is a psychological tool designed to assess the behaviors and strategies used by spouses to influence the sobriety of their partners who struggle with alcohol abuse. This inventory is vital in understanding the dynamics of relationships affected by alcoholism, particularly how a spouse’s actions can either support sobriety or enable continued alcohol use.
Purpose of the Tool
The primary purpose of the SSII is to evaluate the influence spouses have on the drinking habits of their partners. The tool assesses both positive and negative behaviors exhibited by the spouse, such as encouragement, support, or nagging, and their effects on the alcoholic partner’s behavior. It also provides insight into how these behaviors can be modified to promote sobriety and reduce enabling actions that contribute to alcohol abuse.
Description of Tool
Alcohol abuse can strain intimate relationships, often leading to negative patterns of interaction between the alcoholic and their spouse. The SSII was developed to systematically assess these interactions. Yoshioka, Thomas, and Ager (1992) and Thomas, Yoshioka, and Ager (1996) contributed to the conception of this tool, aiming to capture the complex interplay of control efforts made by spouses, such as nagging or other interventions, and their outcomes. The tool helps identify whether a spouse’s actions are constructive or counterproductive in helping their partner achieve sobriety.
The Spouse Sobriety Influence Inventory (SSII) consists of a series of questions that measure the frequency and type of behaviors a spouse uses to influence their partner’s drinking. These behaviors are divided into categories such as emotional support, nagging, threats, and encouragement. The tool highlights both enabling behaviors (e.g., covering for the partner, making excuses) and supportive behaviors (e.g., motivating the partner to seek help or promoting a sober environment).
The questionnaire also allows clinicians to assess the spouse’s motivation for using certain behaviors, whether it stems from fear, frustration, love, or a desire to protect the family. The SSII is a valuable tool for couples counseling, where both partners may need to modify their behaviors to facilitate recovery.
Psychometric Properties
The SSII has been found to be a reliable and valid measure in assessing spousal influence on drinking behavior:
- Reliability: The tool shows high internal consistency across its items, indicating that the behaviors it measures are captured consistently across different respondents.
- Validity: Studies, including those by Yoshioka et al. (1992) and Thomas et al. (1996), have shown that the SSII accurately captures both enabling and supportive behaviors, providing meaningful insights into the couple’s dynamics. It has demonstrated content validity in capturing a wide range of spousal influence techniques.
The tool has been applied across various clinical settings, particularly in substance abuse counseling and relationship therapy, proving its utility in understanding spousal roles in alcohol abuse recovery.
Age Group
The SSII is intended for use with adult populations, particularly couples where one partner struggles with alcohol abuse. Both the alcoholic individual and the spouse should ideally be adults (18+) for appropriate assessment, as the tool deals with complex relational dynamics that may not be applicable to younger individuals.
References
- Yoshioka, M.R., Thomas, E.J., & Ager, R.D. (1992). Nagging and other drinking control efforts of spouses of uncooperative alcohol abusers: Assessment and modification. Journal of Substance Abuse, 4(3), 309-318.
- Thomas, E. J., Yoshioka, M. R., & Ager, R. D. (1996). Spouse enabling of alcohol abuse: Conception, assessment and modification. Journal of Substance Abuse, 8, 61-80.
- Corcoran, K., & Fischer, J. (2000). Measures for clinical practice: A sourcebook (Vol. 1). New York, NY: The Free Press.
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