It is hypothesized that group treatment may be more effective than an individual treatment format. The purpose of this study was to address several deficiencies of previous research in contrasting group and individual treatment delivery formats and to assess the differential effectiveness of these two formats. The treatment area chosen was that of early problem drinker treatment as it was relatively easy to control treatment content across treatment formats since detailed content manuals and theory have been well developed in this area. Subjects were selected from those respondents to a media advertisement who passed several screening criteria and were alternately assigned to a group or individual format. A lack of the requisite number of subjects required some specific design changes. Each treatment condition was given a structured eight-week treatment program of once per week meetings of seventy-five minutes each or a wait-list control condition. Statistical contrasts were then performed on the following variables: total drink units per week, maximum drink units per day, Profile of Mood States -a measure of current affective state, Weissman Social Adjustment Scale - a measure of social functioning level, and a general problem checklist. Data units were gathered pre-treatment, weekly during treatment for drink units, at post-treatment follow-up, and at six months following the end of treatment. The other data were gathered pre-treatment, post-treatment, and at the six-month follow-up. Results of the data manipulations indicated that the treatment intervention was associated with greater improvement on alcohol consumptions than a wait-list control group, but that group treatment was not associated with greater treatment gains than the individual format on any measures. These results are given to be tentative given several major limitations of this study which are discussed. The research was found to be relevant in the area of treatment planning, and is interpreted as providing a more theoretically meaningful contrast of the two formats than previously achieved due to greater experimental control of possibly confounding variables. A useful initial test was performed of a treatment program developed for this study which shows promise for helping problem drinkers. It is also suggested that this research provides some important conclusions for the contrast of group and individual formats in psychological interventions generally. Future directions are suggested. / Education, Faculty of / Educational and Counselling Psychology, and Special Education (ECPS), Department of / Graduate

This study investigates the relationship between spirituality and recovery for alcohol abusers. The data was gathered by administering a survey questionnaire that explored background information, alcohol use and recovery, and spirituality.

Titled "Children of Addicted Parents", the purpose of this study was to evaluate the effectiveness of a psycho-educational group intervention for latency age children of alcoholics. The treatment group consisted of eleven children between the ages of eight and twelve, who have lived or who are living with an alcoholic parent or stepparent. Referrals were obtained from elementary school guidance counsellors, Family Service Agencies, Alcohol and Drug Programs and the Ministry of Social Services and Housing. The children and three therapists met one hour a week for nine weeks. The group's dual objectives include educating the children about alcoholism/drug addiction and its effect on the family as well as enhancing the childrens' inherent strengths by teaching strategies to increase self-esteem, problem solving and other coping skills. The program's objectives were carried out through brief lectures, discussion, film, art and therapeutic games. The treatment model has been evaluated using a quasi-experimental design. There was a significant change in the intensity of behaviour problems with a trend for a decrease in the number of problems, as well as a decrease in depression. In addition there was a tendency for an increase in self-esteem. / Arts, Faculty of / Social Work, School of / Graduate

Thesis (MSocialWork)--Stellenbosch University, 2001. / ENGLISH ABSTRACT: This exploratory and applied study was undertaken to compile a generalized profile, understand the target group's needs and to formulate a set of directives for an intervention program for adolescent children of alcoholics. The Christian Action for Dependence (CAD) views alcoholism as a factor that affects every member of the household and adopts a systemic approach for solving this problem. An earlier study proofed that the organization does not provide sufficiently for the intervention of adolescent children whose parents are members of the self-help groups. In order to address this shortcoming, the Teencads (Teenage Christian Action for Dependence) was established in 1997. It functioned as a penfriend's club. The current study was prompted by the need for greater clarity in planning programs for a group like Teencads. A literature study was undertaken to assess the effect of parental alcoholism on adolescents. The research focused on the developmental tasks of adolescence; looked into the child's emotional reaction to parental alcoholism; highlighted the child's reaction in respect of different relationships and determined the effect of parental alcoholism on the academic performance of the child as well as the connection between parental alcoholism and pathological behavior of the child. Classical adaptive behavior by the children of alcoholics was studied by focusing on the contrast between observed behavior and the adolescent's underlying emotional reaction to parental alcoholism. The purpose of the literature study was to look for effective methods of intervention and intervention strategies, and to examine the aims and objectives of international programs that are currently being implemented. The empirical study focused on the CAD in the Western- and Southern-Cape. Twenty seven adolescents were selected by cluster sampling and the snowball technique. They completed a questionnaire that was compiled from the studied literature. The results of the empirical study strengthened the hypothesis that parental alcoholism has a negative effect on the development of adolescents and that social work intervention is a matter of urgency. Based on the results of the study, the researcher proposed policy guidelines for intervention programs for adolescents in the CAD. Guidelines and suggestions for such programs have been formulated. The recommendations of this study are applicable to adolescent children of all alcoholics. Organizations other than the CAD, as well as other social workers, will be able to use these recommendations in the formulation of intervention programs for adolescent children of alcoholics. / AFRIKAANSE OPSOMMING: 'n Verkennende en beskrywende studie is onderneem om 'n veralgemeenbare profiel van die adolessente kinders van alkoholiste vas te stel, asook om te bepaal wat die behoeftes van hierdie teikengroep ten opsigte van 'n intervensieprogram is. Die uiteindelike doel van die ondersoek was om riglyne vir 'n intervensieprogram ten opsigte van adolessente kinders van alkoholiste te formuleer. Die Christelike Afhanklikheidsdiens (CAD) werk vanuit 'n sistemiese benadering en beskou alkoholisme as 'n probleem wat elke lid van die gesin beïnvloed. 'n Voorafondersoek het bewys dat die organisasie nie voldoende voorsiening maak vir intervensie van adolessente kinders wie se ouers lede van die selfhelpgroepe is nie. In 'n poging om hierdie leemte aan te spreek, is die Teencads (Tiener Christelike Afhanklikheidsdiens) in 1997 gestig en funksioneer dit onder leiding van die ondersoeker as 'n penvriendeklub vir hierdie teikengroep. 'n Behoefte aan meer rigting en duidelikheid ten opsigte van programinhoud, het hierdie ondersoek genoop. 'n Literatuurstudie is onderneem om die invloed van ouer-alkoholisme op adolessente te bepaal. Tydens die ondersoek is die ontwikkelingstake van die adolessente lewensfase in ag geneem; die kind se emosionele reaksie op oueralkoholisme ondersoek; die kind se reaksie in verskillende verhoudings waargeneem; die invloed van ouer-alkoholisme op akademiese prestasie en die verband tussen ouer-alkoholisme en patalogiese gedrag by adolessente vasgestel. Die klassieke aanpassingsrolle wat kinders van alkoholiste vertolk is ondersoek deurdat die navorser spesifiek op die kontras tussen waargenome gedrag en onderliggende emosies by die adolessent klem gelê het. In aansluiting by die doel van die navorsing is daar tydens die literatuurondersoek gefokus op die doelwitte vir 'n effektiewe intervensieprogram; metodes van intervensie; intervensiestrategieë, asook op die inhoud en intervensiemetodes van bestaande internasionale programme. Die empiriese ondersoek was op die CAD in die Wes- en Suid-Kaap gerig. Daar is 27 adolessente deur trossteekproeftrekking en 'n sneeubaltegniek geselekteer om 'n vraelys, gebasseer op die literatuurondersoek, te voltooi. Die resultate van die empiriese ondersoek bevestig die navorser se hipotese dat ouer-alkoholisme 'n negatiewe invloed op die ontwikkeling van adolessente het en dat maatskaplikewerk-intervensie noodsaaklik is. Op grond van die ondersoek en resultate, is 'n beleidsraamwerk ten opsigte van 'n intervensieprogram met kinders van alkoholiste, spesifiek vir die CAD geformuleer en volledige en omvattende riglyne en voorstelle vir sodanige program neergelê. Die aanbevelings van hierdie ondersoek is van toepassing op adolessente kinders van alle alkoholiste en kan dus met vrug deur ander organisasies en maatskaplike werkers gebruik word.

Using both qualitative and quantitative research designs, this study focused on the knowledge of Children Protective Services (CPS) social workers for identifying Alcohol and Other Drugs (AOD) risk factors in their clients, and the impact that these AOD issues have on the child welfare system in San Bernardino County, California.