"Thextended family is placed first and is seen as a primary source of protection and safety -an important dynamic to consider in treatment" (Straussner, 2001). .
"Italians symbolizes a value system organized primarily around protecting the family. While all cultures value the family, for Italians, the family is an all-consuming ideal ( Barzini (1964), in his book "The Italians," states that the family is the first source of power among Italians. He continues, "The family extracts everybody's first loyalty. It must be defended, enriched, made powerful, and feared.Its honor must not be tarnished. All wrongs done to it must be avenged. All enemies must be kept at bay and the dangerous ones deprived of power." (p. 193). Since an Italian's family is characterized as the most important and powerful entity, "family members must never do anything to hurt (disgrace) the family. They must neither take advantage of other family members nor talk about the family to outsiders. Occasionally, secrets are maintained among family members to protect personal boundaries. Two individuals can maintain a closeness with each other but at the same time distance themselves from others in the family." (McGolderick, Giordano, & Pearce, p. 571). The Italian practice of "keeping it in the family" is a challenge for substance abuse clinicians to develop a client/ patient relationship that enables the client to trust. .
"The traditional Italian American family is in many ways a matriarchal culture in which feminine strength is accepted. Although the father is the head of the family, the mother is the heart" (Straussner, 2001). Mothers play an influential role to their children's lives. Daughters see their mother as a role model impossible to become. Sons on the other hand, identify their mothers as all-powerful and idealize them, willing to do anything for their mother. This mother/son relationship continues throughout adulthood.
