Andrea and Allen

Andrea was the only parent participant in the study who had completed a regular high school diploma. She is in a marriage with extremely restrictive conditions placed on her and marked by serious conflict. Yet she remains with her husband who is emotionally distant and blaming. Andrea and Allen have four children. The eldest child has moved out and two of the remaining three have severe learning needs. The youngest girl appears to be very bright and Andrea has high aspirations for her to become a doctor.

Allen has only a primary school education and he has a serious gambling addiction. Andrea gives her cashed cheques to a close friend to safeguard so that Allen does not spend all of the family's meager income. Allen does not allow Andrea to have visitors in the home without his permission. I witnessed evidence of his negative communication patterns with her when he arrived home unexpectedly during one of the interviews and Andrea nervously tried to explain my presence. Andrea's quick response that I was merely a student doing a project combined with my casual dress and my car with the noisy muffler, must have been believable and appeased Allen since Andrea was not punished in this instance. Later, I learned that social workers and collection agencies made frequent calls to this home and Allen was likely thinking I was another government employee who would cause him more grief.