Substance use among adolescents in South Africa is a growing concern. While a growing body of research is outlining the ability of parents to influence and moderate the uptake of risk behaviours, limited literature is available in South Africa on the links between parenting practices and substance use. The present study explored adolescents’ perceptions of parenting practices with respect to their substance use behaviours. Eight focus group discussions were conducted with grade 8 and 9 school-going learners from four purposively selected public high schools in the eThekwini region of KwaZulu-Natal. The discussions were informed by constructions of the Integrated Model of Change (I-Change Model) and appropriate literature. Data was analysed thematically. This study provides further evidence that parenting behaviours can influence adolescent behaviour. The findings suggest that specific parenting practices pertaining to parent-child communication, parental support, warmth, and monitoring can have an influence on adolescent alcohol and tobacco use. Negative parenting may lead to disruptive behaviour, vulnerability to peer pressure and subsequent substance use. It is recommended that early intervention and prevention programs for substance use include aspects of parenting practices that influence adolescent substance use. / Thesis (M.A.)-University of KwaZulu-Natal, Durban, 2008.

Thesis (M.S.)--University of North Texas, Dec., 2007. / Title from title page display. Includes bibliographical references.

Thesis (MA(Psychology))-University of Pretoria, 2007. / Includes bibliographical references.

Evaluating the psychofortology of adults recovering from a substance-use disorder has been identified as a research priority in South Africa. This is in line with calls from researchers in diverse fields of psychology for more attention to the resilience, strengths, resources and capacities of people. This study therefore aimed to explore and describe the coping resources, sense of coherence, happiness and satisfaction with life of adults recovering from a substance-use disorder within the Nelson Mandela Metropole. The sample consisted of 99 voluntary participants from various managed recovery centres within the Nelson Mandela Metropole. Participants were given a package of questionnaires to complete under the supervision of the researcher. The assessment consisted of a biographical questionnaire and four standardized paper and pencil measures namely; the Coping Resources Inventory (CRI), the Sense of Coherence Scale (SOC-29), the Affectometer 2 (AFM-2) and the Satisfaction with Life Scale (SWLS). A quantitative, non-experimental exploratory-descriptive research method was used. Data was analysed using descriptive statistics and the Pearson product-moment correlation coefficient. Key findings include the following: Results on the CRI revealed low average mean scores on both the Coping Resources Inventory and within all the five subscales. Results of the SOC-29 revealed a high average mean score for sense of coherence. Results of the AFM-2 revealed that more positive affect than negative affect is present, resulting in happiness. Results of the SWLS revealed an average level of satisfaction with life, with most participants’ reporting neutral levels of satisfaction with life. There were significant positive correlations between the coping resources, sense of coherence, happiness and satisfaction with life of the sample. This implies that these constructs can be categorized under the subdiscipline of psychofortology. Overall, these findings emphasized the need for more research into adults recovering from a substance-use disorder.

No description available.

Thesis (MA)--Stellenbosch University, 2014. / ENGLISH ABSTRACT: Families are often confronted with some type of crisis during their family life cycle, and the presence of an adolescent substance abuser in the family could result in a family crisis. Most studies focus on the negative implications of substance abuse (Flisher, Parry, Evans, Muller, & Lombard, 2003; Parry et al., 2004). More recently, however, researchers have begun to move away from the pathogenic approach to a more strengths-based approach. Therefore the aim of this study was to investigate which factors are associated with family resilience in families with an adolescent substance abuser. Given the complexity of resilience, the Resiliency Model of Family Stress, Adjustment and Adaptation (McCubbin & McCubbin, 1988) was operationalised in this study to identify which variables could be associated with family resilience. A combination of quantitative and qualitative methods were used to gather data from a convenience sample of 50 families drawn from the Western Cape, South Africa. In order to control for gender effects, mothers who had in their families an adolescent substance abuser were encouraged to represent their respective families. A biographical questionnaire and seven quantitative self-report questionnaires were completed by each participant. Pearson product-moment correlations were calculated for the quantitative data in order to determine which independent variables (family factors) were associated with the dependent variable (family adaptation). A best-subsets multiple regression analysis was done to determine the linear combination of family characteristics (indicators) that correlates maximally with family adaptation (outcome variable). Thematic analysis was used to identify patterns or themes within the qualitative data during the qualitative data analysis. The results indicate that the level of family adaptation is better the higher the supportive patterns of communication in the family unit; and that the level of family adaptation is lower the more negative communication patterns are present. The results also indicate that family hardiness, the degree to which families use problem-solving and behaviour strategies during crises, and the use and maintenance of different routines and activities facilitate family adaptation. The qualitative results indicate that spirituality or religion, support from extended family, friends or neighbours, clear positive family communication, maintaining hope and a positive outlook, and the acceptance of the adolescent as part of the family contribute the most to family adaptation. The findings of this study could be used to improve the understanding of qualities that help families to adapt, and interventions and services based on these results may provide a meaningful contribution in the adaptation of families who find themselves in similar situations. This study not only is important to broaden the current literature on family resilience in this development phase, but also to help fill the void in current research. / AFRIKAANSE OPSOMMING: Dit gebeur gereeld dat gesinne gedurende een of ander ontwikkelingstadium met ʼn krisis gekonfronteer word. So sal die teenwoordigheid van ’n adolessente middelmisbruiker in ’n gesin op moontlike gesinskrisisse dui. Die meerderheid studies fokus op die negatiewe implikasies van middelmisbruik (Flisher, Parry, Evans, Muller, & Lombard, 2003; Parry et al., 2004). Navorsers het egter onlangs begin weg beweeg vanaf die patogeniese benadering na ’n meer sterkte-gebaseerde benadering. Die doel van hierdie studie was dus om ondersoek in te stel na faktore wat geassosieer kan word met gesinsaanpassing in gesinne met ʼn adolessente middelmisbruiker. Gegee die kompleksiteit van veerkragtigheid is die Veerkragtigheidsmodel van Gesinstres, Verstelling en Aanpassing (McCubbin & McCubbin, 1988) in hierdie studie geoperasionaliseer om veranderlikes te identifiseer wat met gesinsveerkragtigheid geassosieer kan word. ʼn Kombinasie van kwantitatiewe en kwalitatiewe metodes is gebruik om data vanuit ’n doelgerigte steekproef van 50 gesinne woonagtig in die Wes-Kaap, Suid-Afrika in te samel. Om vir die effek van geslag te kontroleer, is ma’s aangemoedig om namens die gesinne as verteenwoordigers aan die studie deel te neem. ʼn Biografiese vraelys en ook sewe selfbeskrywingsvraelyste is deur elke deelnemer voltooi. Vir die kwantitatiewe data is Pearson produkmoment-korrelasies bereken om te bepaal watter onafhanklike veranderlikes (gesinsfaktore) met die afhanklike veranderlike (gesinsaanpassing) verband hou. ʼn Beste substel regressieontleding is gedoen om die liniêre kombinasie van gesinskenmerke (voorspellers) wat maksimaal met gesinsaanpassing (uitkomsveranderlike) korreleer, te bepaal. Tematiese ontleding is in die kwalitatiewe data-ontleding gebruik om patrone of temas binne die kwalitatiewe data te identifiseer. Die resultate dui daarop dat die vlak van gesinsaanpassing beter is hoe hoër die ondersteunende patrone van kommunikasie in die gesinseenheid is; en dat die vlak van gesinsaanpassing laer is hoe meer opruiende patrone van kommunikasie in die gesin teenwoordig is. Verder dui die resultate ook aan dat gesinsgehardheid, die mate van probleemoplossings- en gedragstrategieë wat die gesin gedurende krisisse gebruik, en die gebruik en handhawing van verskillende roetines en aktiwiteite ook gesinsaanpassing fasiliteer. Die kwalitatiewe resultate dui daarop dat spiritualiteit of geloof, ondersteuning van die uitgebreide familie, vriende of bure, duidelike positiewe gesinskommunikasie, die behoud van hoop en ’n positiewe uitkyk, en aanvaarding van die adolessent as deel van die gesin die meeste tot gesinsaanpassing bygedra het. Die bevindinge kan nuttig gebruik word om begrip te verbeter van kwaliteite wat gesinne help om aan te pas. Intervensies en dienste wat op hierdie bevindinge gebaseer is, behoort ʼn betekenisvolle bydra te lewer in die aanpassing van gesinne wat hulle in soortgelyke omstandighede bevind. Die studie is nie net belangrik om die kennisbasis oor gesinslewe in hierdie ontwikkelingsfase te verbreed nie, maar ook om ʼn leemte in bestaande navorsing aan te vul.

This thesis is a theological reflection on substance use and misuse. René Girard’s mimetic theory of human Desire is used as a hermeneutic to explicate the formation of self in Western modernity. The role of intoxicative and hallucinogenic substances in Western culture is seen primarily as facilitating the Capitalist template of homo oeconomicus whose central tenets are individualism, autonomy and rationalism. The mind-altering quality of such substances is a means to cope with the existential angst of individualist modes of life and provides, in the milieu of social interaction, an artificial and temporary sense of connectedness with others. Humanity’s ubiquitous search for connectedness and meaning beyond itself is argued as its defining spiritual character. Consequently the addiction recovery principle of sobriety through accountability to a Higher Power – seen as a spiritual principle and practised in recovery programmes based on the twelve-step method of Alcoholics Anonymous – provides the foundation for the empirical aspects of this study. Lifestory narratives of a sample of recovering individuals reveal the spiritual roots of substance misuse as disconnection and isolation from certain significant others (such as parents), or from a normative code of early social settings (such as schools). The role of intoxicative and hallucinogenic substances in providing alternative means of connection and belonging is illustrated through the mimetic patterns in the narrative accounts which substantiate Girard’s reading of human Desire as fundamentally contingent upon the Other. In considering the implications for the Church’s praxis, Girard’s notion of nonrivalistic mimesis is elucidated as an antidote to Capitalist Desire in which the Church unwittingly participates. Hauerwas’ vision of a communal and sacrificial witness is put forward as an alternative template for the Church in its witness and offer of Christocentric relationality whose economy of Love removes the need for mindaltering substances in order to affirm one’s identity.

Syftet med denna studie var att undersöka livsmålen genom ett autobiografiskt minnesperspektiv hos personer med missbruksproblematik, som deltog i en pågående behandling och som hade genomgått en avgiftning. De var drog- alkoholfria. Resultaten visade ingen skillnad i antal livsmål vare sig i det förflutna eller i framtiden inom kategorierna nära relationer, ekonomi, privatliv, emotioner/känslor, socialt liv, arbete/utbildning, hälsa och fysiskt välbefinnande. Det fanns inte heller någon skillnad i hur försöksdeltagarna hade lyckats med dessa mål. Dock fanns det skillnader i att försöksdeltagarna hade misslyckats mest med målen relaterade till nära relationer i det förflutna om man jämför med andra målkategorier. Studien visade också att försöksdeltagarna hade fler framtidsmål jämför med deras mål i det förflutna. En annan intressant aspekt som framkom i studien var att personer med missbruksproblem tenderar att komma ihåg fler negativa minnen än positiva från det förflutna. / The purpose of this study was to investigate life goals through an autobiographical memory perspective in people with addiction problems. They had already undergone detoxification and were drug- alcohol- free. No difference was shown in past and future life goals. Nor was there any difference in how the participants had succeeded in these goals. However, participants were shown to fail most with life goals related to close relationships. The study also showed that participants remembered more future than past life goals. Finally, it was shown that most of their autobiographical self- grounding memories were of negative valance.

This research project addresses the substance abuse cycle intervention and prevention strategies used amongst individuals who are a part of generational substance abuse. Participants were recruited from an inpatient drug rehabilitation center in Southern California. Qualitative interviews were conducted in order to gain additional knowledge on this topic. The interviews were audio recorded, transcribed, and then analyzed by the researcher. Participants’ first hand experiences contributed to a better understanding of effective ways to address this cycle. The results consisted of the following themes: childhood substance abuse, environmental influence, Child Protective Services involvement, problem recognition, structure, counseling, relationships, higher power, positive attitude and hope for the future. Contributions to social work practice are discussed along with recommendations for future research. Findings were given to California State University, San Bernardino and were provided to the drug rehabilitation center used in this study.

The purpose of this study is to understand the impact of spirituality among substance abuse counselors for those who in the recovery process. The research demonstrates the effectiveness of how personal beliefs of substance abuse counselors influence the treatment experience. This study uses a qualitative post positivist paradigm to study the impact of practitioners’ personal beliefs towards spirituality in the treatment of clients. It addresses essential factors from a spiritual and religious framework and reveals the consideration of personal beliefs of substance abuse counselors and its impact on the treatment experience of an individual’s recovery. The content of the research is derived from personal experience and then interpreted through reason and logic to understand the layers of spirituality and religion. The results of this analysis can be used to illustrate the impact that spirituality has within the field of substance abuse treatment.