Most treatment programs for alcoholics and their families fail to show a systematic understanding of the interaction between the alcoholic, his drinking problem, and the family as a whole. Based on a review of the literature, the author presents a systems approach and ways of utilizing it in practice. (Author)

The problem of wives who are abused and brutalized by their husbands have been largely ignored. This article demonstrates the isolation of the battered wife as a result of society's failure to assist her and proposes strategies for dealing with wife abuse. (Author)