Families of agoraphobic women.

Marital systems of agoraphobic women may reinforce or support the phobic condition and in some cases entire families are affected. Four case histories are presented in which agoraphobia and related disturbances and alcoholism are traced through three generations. Other studies are reviewed relating agoraphobia to alcoholism, examining the characteristics of parents and siblings and the marital adjustments of agoraphobic patients. A relationship with sex role stereotyping is suggested, particularly as relevant to the differing adjustments of males and females in these families. It is concluded that conflicts relating to separation/individuation and autonomy versus dependency and fear are crucial in these families and they are defended against by mechanisms of phobic avoidance, counterphobia and alcoholism.