Network services for people who are addicted to drugs are diverse in the Czech Republic. In individual regions there is different drug situations and the availability of professional services. Substitutable and other options for individuals, who would like to do something with their addiction, can be self-help support groups. In the Czech Republic there are various self-help support groups. Best known are Alcoholics Anonymous and others similar groups, based on the same pattern. These groups are completely independent and they are not guided by experts. The theoretical part deals with problems of substance abuse, addiction, the health care system for people abuse substances or addictive behavior and finally describes the history of self-help support groups and other incurred self-help support groups. The practical part focuses on the implementation of the research focused on the effect of self-help support groups in the region and to the characteristics of their members. The research aims to map the function of self-help support groups for people with substance abuse in the region Vysočina and also describes groups and their members in terms of their characteristics and sociodemographic data. Key words: Self-help Support Groups - Anonymous Alcoholics - alcohol - drug abuse - addiction

Self-help groups are an interesting phenomenon and they could serve as a significant complement to the social services. Nevertheless they don't attract much attention in the Czech republic. In the theoretical part this thesis is trying to describe in detail how the self-help groups work, how they can complement social services and what are their risks and limitations. In the practical part a research was conducted in order to understand and map the situation of Czech self-help groups. This research was based on the internet search engine and registry of social services providers. The goal of the research was to map the self-help groups in the Czech republic in relation to geographical and typological allocation. The outcome of the research is a directory of active self-help groups that should serve both social workers and potencial clients of the self-help groups.

Alcoholics Anonymous (AA) continues to be the most accepted approach for the treatment of addictions in the United States. However, due to recent evidence questioning the effectiveness of AA, the need for alternative approaches to the treatment of addictions has become clear. The following research addresses the efficacy of one such alternative, Rational Recovery (RR). Node-Link Mapping (NLM), a graphic communication technique which uses links and nodes as building blocs to facilitate and enhance communication of information as well as awareness in a counseling environment, was implemented to enhance the recovery process. Three groups of ten (10), chemically dependent, adjudicated subjects were exposed to three different treatment approaches at an outpatient counseling center. The Experimental group received RR with NLM, the Comparison group was exposed only to RR, and the Control group continued in treatment according to the protocol of the counseling agency. All subjects were given the Substance Abuse Subtle Screening Inventory-2 (SASSI-2) as a measurement of symptoms associated with chemical dependency. The subjects were also administered the Rotter Internal-External Locus of Control Scale (Rotter I-E Scale) to determine locus of control prior to treatment and any change after treatment.

This thesis concerns an alternative approach to the alcohol-addiction treatment within the fellowship of Alcoholics Anonymous and highlights the importance of self-help groups in the contemporary society. This worldwide biggest self-help group uses sociologically important processes to achieve a new way of life connected with sobriety. I have studied these processes through the participant observation. Alcoholics Anonymous influences its members through its specific culture which reflects in group rituals, high level of group affiliation, spirituality and co-constructed community story, which bears the member's knowledge. This thesis looks on the transition to identity of the sober alcoholic and the new way of living according to Twelve-Step program of Alcoholics Anonymous through the perspective of drift model of conversion, transition rituals or principles used in the narrative therapy. Within these processes there occurs radical reconstruction of perceptual, cognitive and behavioral schemes which influence the meanings in the interpretation of everyday life and consecutively change the identity of the individual and his social action. These changes of the individual are strengthened by the group members and then gradually spread out of the group boundaries too.

Darbe nagrinėjama alkoholio vartojimo problemų turinčių asmenų gyvenimo kokybės kitimas atsižvelgiant į tai, kokius gydimo metodus jie pasirenka šiai problemai spręsti. Didžiausias dėmesys skiriamas AA grupių įtakai gyvenimo kokybei ir jos kitimui. Ši problematika Lietuvoje mažai tyrinėta, tačiau dėl alkoholio vartojimo masto Lietuvoje ir pasaulyje yra pakankamai aktuali. Darbe buvo iškeltas tikslas ištirti AA grupių įtaką alkoholio vartojimo problemų turinčių asmenų gyvenimo kokybės kitimui. Darbo tikslui pasiekti analizuota alkoholio vartojimo problemų turinčių asmenų lankiusių ir nelankiusių anoniminių alkoholikų grupes gyvenimo kokybė, jos kitimas ir vertybių bei gydymo metodo įtaka jai. Manoma, kad alkoholio vartojimo problemų turinčių asmenų, lankiusių anoniminių alkoholikų grupes, gyvenimo kokybė pagerėjo labiau, palyginus su tais kurie tų grupių nelankė arba buvo viena-du kartus ir daugiau nelankė. Darbo tikslui pasiekti naudota PSO gyvenimo kokybės klausimynas (WHOQOL-BREF; angl. The World Health Organization Quality of Life – Bref, 1996), gyvenimo vertybių įvertinimas pagal Goštautą A, Javtoką Z, Žagminą K. (2001) ir gydymo metodo įvertinimas sudarytas pačios darbo autorės. Tyrime dalyvavo aliejų lyčių, nuo 18 iki 69 m. amžiaus, įvairios šeiminės, užimtumo, profesinės padėties ir išsilavinimo, šiuo metu besigydantys lankydami AA grupę, Minesotos programą ir medikamentiniu gydymusi, asmenys. Tyrimas parodė, kad asmenų, nepriklausomai nuo lyties, kurie turi problemų... [toliau žr. visą tekstą] / This Paper deals with changing quality of life of the people with alcohol problems, depending on what treatment methods they choose to tackle this problem. The main focus is made on the impact of AA groups to quality of life and the changes thereof. This problem has been little researched in Lithuania; however, due to the consumed alcohol level in Lithuania and world widely this issue is sufficiently relevant. The objective of the Paper is to examine the impact of AA groups to the change of the quality of life of people who have alcohol-consuming problems. For the purpose of the Objective the quality of life and of the people with alcohol-consuming problems who attended AA groups and who not attended AA groups and the change of their quality of life were analysed, as well as the values and the impact of treatment methods on it were explored. It is estimated that the quality of life of the people with alcohol-consuming problems, who attended alcoholics anonymous groups, improved more in comparison with those who did not attend these groups or those visited them once or twice and did not attend them constantly. In order to reveal the Objective of the Paper, the WHO Quality of Life Questionnaire (WHOQOL-BREF; in Eng. The World Health Organization Quality of Life – Bref, 1996), the evaluation of the life values according to Goštautas A, Javtokas Z, Žagminas K. (2001) and the evaluation of treatment method, composed by the author herself, were used. The research included persons... [to full text]

The thesis introduces perception of guilt and sin in the Bible, in Christian tradition and in contemporary moral theology. It emphasizes that in the mentioned periods both phenomena belonged in the common talk and to the elemental moral concepts. It deals with perception of guilt (sin) and forgiveness at present and it does not omit the findings of empirical sciences. It takes into consideration the facts which led to the loss or deformation of awareness of both phenomena in the society in general. In practice it conducts the survey of the possible idea of the contemporary state of awareness of guilt and forgiveness and relates it to the specific group of Anonymous Alcoholics.

The purpose of this essay is to investigate what practical function religion or spirituality has for six members of Alcoholics Anonymous. Furthermore, the aim is to investigate and analyze the members' religious turning point and compare their views on religion and spirituality before and after sobriety. The methods used are qualitative semi-structured interviews where the collected material in the form of audio recordings will be transcribed to then carry out a narrative analysis on the transcribed material. The results show that religion or spirituality fulfills a practical function for all respondents and that their view of religion and spirituality has changed to a more positive approach. The respondents' turning point came in connection with the early steps in the twelve-step program where everyone created an individual religious or spiritual view.

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Children detained in juvenile detention centers in the United States are a unique population. They are neither incarcerated, nor are they free to live in society. Although some popular literature does exist on juvenile detention, such literature is minimal. Further, there are few research studies on this population in any field of inquiry. Indeed the entire subject of juvenile detention has been largely overlooked by research scientists, as well as theologians. The focus of this empirical study is the theology and spirituality of children in a single juvenile detention center in New Jersey, US. Currently, there are no studies on this topic. This study begins to address that void and represents the first theological research of its kind on this population. The methodological approach of the thesis is multi-disciplinary. While the study addresses theology and spirituality as separate categories, it also integrates theology with research in psychology and clinical mental health. The project itself consists of 200 individual, face-to-face interviews with male juvenile residents detained in the Ocean County Juvenile Detention Center, Toms River, New Jersey, US. An original questionnaire has been developed by the author as a research tool. This empirical research adds to the academic literature on children in juvenile detention centers in the United States and recommends ways that staff may communicate with children to begin a theological dialogue. Further, this thesis offers a specific methodology and research tool to be duplicated for use in other juvenile detention centers toward working with children in a concrete, evidence-based, spiritual context. v This study also includes a chapter on the evolution of the author’s spirituality and theology in the course of the project and attempts to locate the self of the researcher within the study. Finally, this thesis presents an outline for a new hermeneutic in working with children in a juvenile detention setting. This new approach represents a practical step toward bridging an existing gap between a stated need for a new hermeneutic for working with children in theological literature and its inception. / Philosophy, Practical and Systematic Theology / D. Th. (Practical Theology)

Children detained in juvenile detention centers in the United States are a unique population. They are neither incarcerated, nor are they free to live in society. Although some popular literature does exist on juvenile detention, such literature is minimal. Further, there are few research studies on this population in any field of inquiry. Indeed the entire subject of juvenile detention has been largely overlooked by research scientists, as well as theologians. The focus of this empirical study is the theology and spirituality of children in a single juvenile detention center in New Jersey, US. Currently, there are no studies on this topic. This study begins to address that void and represents the first theological research of its kind on this population. The methodological approach of the thesis is multi-disciplinary. While the study addresses theology and spirituality as separate categories, it also integrates theology with research in psychology and clinical mental health. The project itself consists of 200 individual, face-to-face interviews with male juvenile residents detained in the Ocean County Juvenile Detention Center, Toms River, New Jersey, US. An original questionnaire has been developed by the author as a research tool. This empirical research adds to the academic literature on children in juvenile detention centers in the United States and recommends ways that staff may communicate with children to begin a theological dialogue. Further, this thesis offers a specific methodology and research tool to be duplicated for use in other juvenile detention centers toward working with children in a concrete, evidence-based, spiritual context. v This study also includes a chapter on the evolution of the author’s spirituality and theology in the course of the project and attempts to locate the self of the researcher within the study. Finally, this thesis presents an outline for a new hermeneutic in working with children in a juvenile detention setting. This new approach represents a practical step toward bridging an existing gap between a stated need for a new hermeneutic for working with children in theological literature and its inception. / Philosophy, Practical and Systematic Theology / D. Th. (Practical Theology)