Women as functional leaders in alcohol affected families in coastal Kerala

The aim of the current study is to investigate how wives operate as leaders in alcohol-affected households in Kerala’s Alappad coastal region. A multi-method, qualitative research methodology was used. Twenty married women from households impacted by alcoholism in Kerala’s Alappad coastal region participated in the research. The data saturation method was used to choose participants for in-depth interviews, whereas convenience sampling was used to choose participants for the Focus Group Discussion (FGD). Semi-structured interview guides and FGD questions about marital relationships, family roles, decision-making, emotional experiences, and coping mechanisms were used to gather data. Thematic analysis was used to examine the gathered data in accordance with Naeem’s methodology. The results showed that spouses’ alcoholism significantly disrupted conventional family roles. The in-depth interviews revealed several themes, such as the disruption of family roles brought on by alcohol addiction, the shift into functional leadership, managing societal expectations and gender norms, coping, adaptation and resilience, and rethinking authority and family structure. The breakdown of traditional male family roles, normalization of women’s functional leadership, negotiation of gender norms and social judgment, shared emotional burden and collective coping, collective resilience and empowerment were the topics that emerged from the focus group discussion. The study emphasizes how gender roles and family structures are altered in alcohol-affected families. The results highlight the need for psychological support, family-centred therapies, and more acknowledgement of women’s resilience and leadership in families affected by alcohol.