Thesis (Ed. D.)--Illinois State University, 1999. / Title from title page screen, viewed July 18, 2006. Dissertation Committee: Ming-Gon John Lian, Mack Bowen (co-chairs), Barbara Fulk, John Godbold, Keith Stearns. Includes bibliographical references (leaves 84-98) and abstract. Also available in print.

M.A. / The treatment of substance abuse remains a challenging process with relapse an ever-present risk. For those offering treatment within this field, such as the South African National Council on Alcoholism and Drug Dependence (SANCA), it is of cardinal importance to evaluate the outcomes of their interventions. Currently, there is no quantifiable and standardised method that SANCA can use to establish and assess how the actual outcomes of their programmes compare to their intended programme goals. Kranz and O’Hare (2006) argue for the evaluation of substance abuse treatment programmes through the use of scales to quantify various aspects of the treatment process which can then serve as a measure of its effectiveness. Effectiveness in this instance refers broadly to a patient’s maintenance of his/her sobriety for a period of 12 months or more, combined with an increase in his/her general functioning. Therefore, this study aims to demonstrate the technically complex process of developing a content valid framework for a scale on behalf of SANCA that adheres to their requirements for programme evaluation. The study is guided by an adapted model of ecometric scale development presented schematically by Faul and Hudson (1999). Through the use of a grounded theory approach, the study shows how to identify the expectations for a scale in the organisation and organise SANCA’s treatment strategy into a framework within which the areas of measurement can be placed. The study then demonstrates the construction of operational assessment areas through empirical data collection that adequately reflects such expectations. It also serves to test for content validity of the assessment areas, through the application of domain sampling theory. The study reveals the process undertaken to convert those assessment areas into constructs by conceptualising and operationalising them into working definitions. Lastly, drawing on those defined constructs, it populates a series of exemplar items designed for illustrative purposes.

M.A. / The objective of the study was to evaluate the effect of a substance abuse primary prevention programme and ascertain its influence on three variables namely; attitude behaviour and knowledge of grade eight learners. The literature review revealed that there is a possibility that substance abuse awareness talk changes the behaviour and attitude of learners thus improving their knowledge about substance abuse effects. Whereas the United Nations indicated that for the success of the prevention programme it should be coupled with life skills. It was also revealed in the literature that the evaluation of prevention programmes was rarely done in South Africa due to lack of funding. The Elim Clinic as the organisation that deals with substance abuse treatment and prevention maintains that prevention is better than cure, therefore, all young people must be exposed to their substance abuse awareness talks. Peer educators of the secondary school presented the programme for grade 8 learners. A sample of thirty grade eight learners was systematically selected for this study in one of the secondary schools at Tembisa. The data were collected by means a of questionnaire based on background information of respondents, attitude, knowledge and behaviour of substance abuse. Due to the quantitative approach employed the Statistical Package for the Social Sciences (SPSS) was utilized to determine the difference between the pre-test and post-test results. The findings of the study clarified that the program had an effect on knowledge and no statistical significance on attitude and behaviour. It was concluded, too, that information given to young people cannot determine change in behaviour and attitude, and increasing their knowledge does not mean they will not abuse substances in the future. / Prof. B. Mitchell

AFRIKAANS: Hierdie navorsingstudie het ten doel gehad om 'n nasorgprogram te ontwikkel vir die benutting deur maatskaplike werkers in die hantering en behandeling van substansafhanklike adolessente. Die misbruik van afhanklikheidsvormende middels word erken as een van die grootste gesondheids- en maatskaplike probleme in Suid¬Afrika. Die eskalerende patrone van dwelmmisbruik en die impak daarvan op die individu en ook op die groter samelewing benodig gespesialiseerde vaardighede om die probleem te verstaan en aan te spreek. Met hierdie behoefte in gedagte is daar besluit om hierdie studie te doen en 'n nasorgprogram te ontwikkel om aan die maatskaplike werker in die praktyk 'n hulpmiddel te verskaf om eff'ektiewe nasorgdienste aan die substansafhanklike adolessent te lewer. Die doel van hierdie ondersoek is om verkennende- en beskrywende navorsing uit te voer na substansafhanklikheid by adolessente. Die kwantitatiewe navorsingsproses is gevolg in die navorsing, alhoewel navorsingsmetodes uit beide die kwantitatiewe- en kwalitatiewe benaderings gebruik is. Daar is twee stellings vir die navorsingstudie geformuleer, naamlik: Daar bestaan 'n leemte aan bestaande bruikbare nasorgprogramme vir die benutting deur maatskaplike werkers in die praktyk vir hulpverlening aan die substansafhanklike adolessent; en dwelmmisbruik neem toe onder adolessente en moet dringend aangespreek word. Die stellings was deur middel van die verkennende navorsingsontwerp en met behulp van persoonlike vraelyste (kwantitatiewe data¬insamelingsmetode) en semi-gestruktuurde aangesig-tot-aangesig onderhoudsvoering (kwalitatiewe data-insamelingsmetode) ondersoek. AIle kwalitatiewe- asook kwantitatiewe data het 'n ooreenkomstige bevestiging op die stellings verskaf. Hierdie data het aangedui dat daar 'n groot leemte aan effektiewe nasorgdienste ten opsigte van die substansafhanklike adolessent bestaan en dat substansafhanklike adolessente as gevolg van oneffektiewe hulpverlening telkens 'n terugval beleef. Verdere navorsing deur middel van die benutting van narratiewe terapie met 'n gesin waar 'n adolessent dwelms gebruik is gedoen. 'n Suid-Mrikaans geformuleerde meetinstrument wat substansafhanklikheid binne die adolessente kultuur en leefwyse, asook eietydse eise en probleme kan vervat en meet, word gevolglik aanbeveel. ENGLISH: The purpose of this research study is the development of an aftercare programme for social workers to use in the handling and treatment of substance dependant adolescents. The abuse of dependant substances is recognised as one of the greatest health and social problems in South Africa. The escalating patterns of drug abuse and the impact thereof on the individual as well as the greater community asks for specialised skills to understand and solve these problems. With this need in mind the researcher decided to develop an aftercare programme, which would serve as a practical guideline for social workers in practice in order to supply effective aftercare services to the substance dependant adolescent. The aim of the study was to investigate substance dependency by adolescents through exploratory- and descriptive studies. The quantitative research process was followed although both the qualitative and quantitative methods were used. Two suppositions were formulated for the research study: A huge gap currently exists for aftercare programs for the assistance of social workers in practice to substance dependant adolescents. These suppositions were investigated through the use of exploratory research design and with the assistance of personal questionnaires (quantitative date gathering method) and semi-structured face-to-face interviewing (qualitative data gathering method). Both quantitative and qualitative data confirmed the formulated suppositions. The data clearly indicated the need for effective aftercare services for substance dependant adolescents, which frequently experience a relapse due to the lack of assistance. Further research can be done through the use of narrative therapy within a family in which an adolescent used drugs. A South African formulated measurement scale, which is able to measure substance dependency within the adolescent culture and way of life, are recommended. / Dissertation (MA (SW))--University of Pretoria, 2006. / Social Work and Criminology / unrestricted

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Hypothesis on success in addiction treatment programs as measured by BEM Sex-Role Inventory.

This study explored the possibility that some individuals with alcohol and amphetamine addictions are initially motivated to use alcohol and amphetamines because of underlying issues involving body dissatisfaction and weight reduction associated with Anorexia and Bilimia Nervosa. Current literature reveals similarities among chemical dependencies and eating disorders.

The purpose of this exploratory study was to investigate the differences between dependent personality characteristics and clinical symptomology as measured by the MCMI-II, in three major psychiatric syndromes in inpatient and outpatient treatment settings. Results show differences in profile in all groups. Treatment setting differences show higher scores on alcohol and drug dependence and major depression for inpatients. The affective group exhibited higher scores on dependent personality, dysthymic and major depression, confirming previous research on depressive disorders and dependent personality.

The Substance Abuse Subtle Screening Inventory (SASSI) is a 10 scale indirect screening instrument used to detect substance use disorders. The current meta-analytic study described reliability reporting practices across 48 studies involving the SASSI. Reliability generalization methods were then employed to evaluate typical score reliability for the screening measure. Results showed approximately 73 of studies did not report reliability estimates. Analysis of data from the remaining studies revealed adequate reliability for the total scale (α .87) and face valid scales (FVA α .88 and FVOD α .92), but substantially lower reliability estimates for the indirect scales (range of α .23.65). The study's findings underscore the need for improved reliability reporting for the SASSI and suggest cautious use of the measure, especially its indirect scales, as an indicator of problematic substance use/abuse in clinical settings.

Philosophiae Doctor - PhD / Substance abuse among adolescents is a Public Health concern globally with approximately 25 million adolescents (aged 13-15 years) who smoke tobacco, one in every ten girls and one in every five boys. In low- and middle-income countries, 14 % of girls and 18% of boys (13-15years old) are engaged in alcohol use. The Global Status Report on Alcohol and Health of 2018, reports that among the 15- to 19-year-olds, greater than a quarter were current alcohol drinkers. Cannabis (marijuana/dagga) is highly used globally with approximately 3.8% between 15 and 64 years, about 188 million people used it once or more times in 2017. The most commonly abused substances are alcohol, tobacco, and cannabis (marijuana/dagga). In South Africa, most adolescents are found in schools and the average age of drug experimentation is 12 years with early onset of use at about ten years of age.