La violence est responsable de 2,5 % des décès à travers le monde, en plus d’avoir un impact important sur la santé physique et mentale des victimes. Par conséquent, il s’agit d’un problème de santé publique prioritaire. Des études récentes réalisées auprès d’individus atteints de troubles mentaux graves (TMG) ont démontré qu’il existe une association entre l’usage du cannabis et les comportements violents. Considérant que ces individus sont plus à risque de consommer des drogues et de commettre des crimes que la population générale, cette découverte est particulièrement importante dans le contexte actuel de la légalisation. L’objectif de mon projet de recherche était donc de valider et de préciser la relation entre le cannabis et la violence chez les individus TMG. Pour se faire, trois études ont été réalisées. La première visait à faire état de la littérature au moyen d’une méta-analyse. En regroupant les études ayant calculé une telle association chez les TMG, nous avons mis en lumière l’existence d’une association modérée entre l’usage du cannabis et la violence. Pour ce qui est de la deuxième étude, nous avons identifié les principaux facteurs de risque dynamiques et statiques de la violence et de la criminalité chez les TMG ; dans les deux cas, l’usage du cannabis était un facteur d’une importance majeure. La dernière étude a permis de confirmer la relation unidirectionnelle entre l’usage persistant du cannabis et la violence dans une population atteinte de schizophrénie. Finalement, ces résultats seront particulièrement importants afin de formuler des recommandations cliniques pertinentes. De futures études devront toutefois être réalisées afin d’élucider les mécanismes sous-jacents de cette association. / Worldwide, violence is responsible for 2.5% of deaths, besides having an important impact on victims’ physical and mental health. Therefore, it is a priority public health problem. Recent studies of individuals with severe mental illnesses (SMI) have shown that an association exists between cannabis use and violent behaviours. Considering that these individuals are at higher risk of drug consumption and crime than the general population, this discovery is particularly important in the current context of the legalization. My research project therefore aimed to validate and to specify the relationship between cannabis use and violence in SMI individuals. To do so, three studies were conducted. The first one was to report current literature through a meta-analysis. By grouping the studies that calculated such an association among SMI, a moderate association was found between cannabis use and violence. As for the second study, we identified the main dynamic and static risk factors for violence and criminality in SMI; in both cases, cannabis use was one of these factors. The last study confirmed the unidirectional relationship between persistent cannabis use and violence in a population with schizophrenia. Finally, these results will be particularly important in order to formulate relevant clinical recommendations. However, future studies will need to be conducted to elucidate the underlying mechanisms of this association.

Heroin dependence, which is escalating within South Africa, has become a symbol of the social disorder of the times - associated with materialism, poverty, crime, the problems of a society in transition, the disadvantaged, and the inner cities. However, that is not to say that all those who misuse heroin develop a problem or become dependent. In reality, only a small minority of heroin users develop a dependence, but for those who do it can result in unpleasant and potentially terrifying experiences/consequences, that can often be extremely difficult to escape from. That is not to say that recovery from dependence to heroin is not possible. Indeed, contrary to the beliefs of many people, the reality is that many people do eventually recover. Despite the vast sums of money devoted to treatment intervention of heroin dependants in the South Africa and worldwide, the processes by which recovery occur remain fairly unclear. Moreover, relatively little is known about the contribution of interventions and processes in facilitating such recovery. The statistical and content analysis of the data revealed that one of the most important factors identified in allowing successful behaviour modification and promoting recovery was psychosocial and pharmacological intervention, which seemed to produce a range of positive effects that facilitated natural healing processes. However, a range of other factors alongside intervention were also important in promoting behaviour modification. This study has provided important information, from forty recovering heroin dependants themselves, on the many factors that are important in achieving abstinence, in allowing recovery to be maintained in the longer term, and in potentially allowing an eventual exit from heroin dependence. A number of difficulties encountered in intervention were also identified. The statistical findings of the study support the `maturing out' hypothesis of heroin dependence (c² = 16.841; r = 0.001; df = 3). Ethnicity, highest level of education, employment status, marital status, biological parents' marital status or whether biological parents were deceased or not did not relate to any of the identified behavioural indices associated with heroin dependence recovery. A framework for the development of a contextual heroin dependence recovery model is also discussed. / Psychology / (M.A.(Psychology))

Heroin dependence, which is escalating within South Africa, has become a symbol of the social disorder of the times - associated with materialism, poverty, crime, the problems of a society in transition, the disadvantaged, and the inner cities. However, that is not to say that all those who misuse heroin develop a problem or become dependent. In reality, only a small minority of heroin users develop a dependence, but for those who do it can result in unpleasant and potentially terrifying experiences/consequences, that can often be extremely difficult to escape from. That is not to say that recovery from dependence to heroin is not possible. Indeed, contrary to the beliefs of many people, the reality is that many people do eventually recover. Despite the vast sums of money devoted to treatment intervention of heroin dependants in the South Africa and worldwide, the processes by which recovery occur remain fairly unclear. Moreover, relatively little is known about the contribution of interventions and processes in facilitating such recovery. The statistical and content analysis of the data revealed that one of the most important factors identified in allowing successful behaviour modification and promoting recovery was psychosocial and pharmacological intervention, which seemed to produce a range of positive effects that facilitated natural healing processes. However, a range of other factors alongside intervention were also important in promoting behaviour modification. This study has provided important information, from forty recovering heroin dependants themselves, on the many factors that are important in achieving abstinence, in allowing recovery to be maintained in the longer term, and in potentially allowing an eventual exit from heroin dependence. A number of difficulties encountered in intervention were also identified. The statistical findings of the study support the `maturing out' hypothesis of heroin dependence (c² = 16.841; r = 0.001; df = 3). Ethnicity, highest level of education, employment status, marital status, biological parents' marital status or whether biological parents were deceased or not did not relate to any of the identified behavioural indices associated with heroin dependence recovery. A framework for the development of a contextual heroin dependence recovery model is also discussed. / Psychology / (M.A.(Psychology))

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