The Parenting Function of Therapeutic Communities: Test of a Model in an Alcohol Rehabilitation Program

Abstract

156 male inpatients and 11 staff members of an alcohol rehabilitation program therapeutic community (TC) completed weekly administrations of the Assessment of Healing Scale (AHE). AHE is designed to evaluate the effectiveness of the TC, the capacity of the program to allow for positive change, to be excessively permissive, to provide reasonable controls, and to be overcontrolling. These are interpreted to represent the Collective Controlling and the Collective Nurturing aspects of the Collective Parenting Function (CPF). Results provide evidence supporting applicablity of the CPF model to a TC for alcohol-dependent clients. Support was also provided for the hypothesis that a positive correlation exists between the degree of perception that a TC is effective and the perception that the TC provides appropriate permission and protection.