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Substance abuse among university students is increasing globally. Nigeria, with her peculiar class of university students who are younger than global average is not left out. This paper reports a qualitative Intervention research that utilized narrative inquiry instrument to explore the interface of substance abuse issues, disciplinary dilemmas and family involvement at a private university in Nigeria. This research identified challenges and concerns amongst administrators, parents, students and student support services staff. Primary Socialization and Critical theories formed the theoretical backdrop for the research. The participants in the study were members of administration and disciplinary committee (n=10). Parents (n=10), students (n=20) and student support staff (n=10). The findings showed early onset of substance abuse at an average age of 17, which coincides with the average of entry into Nigerian universities. Alcohol and Marijuana was the most preferred drug of choice. 50% of the student participants had family history of substance abuse involvement and 80% was alcohol use. Parental responses such as reduced levels of trust, strained relationships and withdrawal of support and privileges were motivators for students to engage in treatment. Implementation of institutional disciplinary measures for involvement of student with substance abuse such as suspension or expulsion was also indicated as motivators to engage in treatment and maintenance of sobriety, however both parents and students identified the provision of services such as drug screening, counseling and family conferences as having long term impact on staying sober. Both parents and students recommended strict monitoring measures to reduce the incidences of substance abuse on the university campus. The Nigerian cultural value and above global average of parental involvement was a strength that informed the recommendation for a collaborative approach between the university and families of students involved with substance abuse. The responses of university administrators indicated struggles between service and disciplinary responses. The study concluded by proposing a model of approach with practice guidelines for a collaborative approach between the university and families of students involved with substance abuse. Collaborative „junctions‟ with parents were delineated without compromising the institutional policy on substance abuse. / Social Work / D. Phil. (Social Work)

Substance abuse among university students is increasing globally. Nigeria, with her peculiar class of university students who are younger than global average is not left out. This paper reports a qualitative Intervention research that utilized narrative inquiry instrument to explore the interface of substance abuse issues, disciplinary dilemmas and family involvement at a private university in Nigeria. This research identified challenges and concerns amongst administrators, parents, students and student support services staff. Primary Socialization and Critical theories formed the theoretical backdrop for the research. The participants in the study were members of administration and disciplinary committee (n=10). Parents (n=10), students (n=20) and student support staff (n=10). The findings showed early onset of substance abuse at an average age of 17, which coincides with the average of entry into Nigerian universities. Alcohol and Marijuana was the most preferred drug of choice. 50% of the student participants had family history of substance abuse involvement and 80% was alcohol use. Parental responses such as reduced levels of trust, strained relationships and withdrawal of support and privileges were motivators for students to engage in treatment. Implementation of institutional disciplinary measures for involvement of student with substance abuse such as suspension or expulsion was also indicated as motivators to engage in treatment and maintenance of sobriety, however both parents and students identified the provision of services such as drug screening, counseling and family conferences as having long term impact on staying sober. Both parents and students recommended strict monitoring measures to reduce the incidences of substance abuse on the university campus. The Nigerian cultural value and above global average of parental involvement was a strength that informed the recommendation for a collaborative approach between the university and families of students involved with substance abuse. The responses of university administrators indicated struggles between service and disciplinary responses. The study concluded by proposing a model of approach with practice guidelines for a collaborative approach between the university and families of students involved with substance abuse. Collaborative „junctions‟ with parents were delineated without compromising the institutional policy on substance abuse. / Social Work / D. Phil. (Social Work)

Background: Rates of accidental overdose mortality from substance use disorder (SUD) have risen dramatically in the United States since 1990. Between 1999 and 2004 alone rates increased 62% nationwide, with rural overdose mortality increasing at a rate 3 times that seen in urban populations. Cultural differences between rural and urban populations (e.g., educational attainment, unemployment rates, social characteristics, etc.) affect the nature of SUD, leading to disparate risk of overdose across these communities. Methods: Multiple-groups latent class analysis with covariates was applied to data from the 2011 and 2012 National Survey on Drug Use and Health (n=12.140) to examine potential differences in latent classifications of SUD between rural and urban adult (aged 18 years and older) populations. Nine drug categories were used to identify latent classes of SUD defined by probability of diagnosis within these categories. Once the class structures were established for rural and urban samples, posterior membership probabilities were entered into a multinomial regression analysis of socio-demographic predictors' association with the likelihood of SUD latent class membership. Results: Latent class structures differed across the sub-groups, with the rural sample fitting a 3-class structure (Bootstrap Likelihood Ratio Test P value=0.03) and the urban fitting a 6-class model (Bootstrap Likelihood Ratio Test P valueThis result supports the hypothesis that different underlying elements exist in the two populations that affect SUD patterns, and thus can inform the development of surveillance instruments, clinical services, and prevention programming tailored to specific communities.

This study compared perceptions of prescribers and pharmacists (N = 89) regarding multiple aspects of prescription drug abuse. Questionnaires were developed to assess perceptions regarding the prevalence of prescription drug abuse, self-perceived communication competence, and additional communication and prescription drug abuse domains. Pharmacists perceived a larger percentage of patients (41%) to be abusing opioid pain relievers as compared with their prescriber colleagues (17%). Both prescribers and pharmacists indicated improvements in prescriber–pharmacist communication would serve to deter prescription drug abuse. Self-efficacy beliefs for detecting and discussing prescription drug abuse with patients were low for both cohorts. Implications and limitations are noted.

The purpose of this study was to assess the effectiveness of communication with elderly mental health clients regarding medication concordance.

毒品濫用問題乃世界各國共通之施政難題，我國政府於1993年宣布向毒品宣戰，並在2005年8月引進美沙酮替代療法（Methadone Maintenance Treatment，MMT），於全國各縣市推動毒品減害計畫。但歷經十餘年之努力，毒品人口與整體毒品再犯率截至2010年底並未明顯降低，足見毒品防制政策有全面檢視問題癥結，重新調整執行策略之必要。本研究就此現象探討三項議題：1.毒品防制領域，IT有無著力之空間？ 2.以美沙酮替代療法為主之毒品防制策略在台灣地區推行是否發揮預期的效果？現行做法有無改善空間？ 3.出監毒癮者復歸社會後再犯率高，其最需要政府的幫助為何，方能有效降低再犯毒品罪之誘因？。三項議題互為關聯。 本研究探訪毒品防制第一線工作人員，並參考國內外毒品減害文獻，歸納目前毒品危害防制工作推動上的困境，探究IT可出力之空間，並提出“毒品成癮者資訊總歸戶”的概念。整合法務、警政、衛生醫療等毒品防制資訊，建立跨部會即時歸戶資料庫並建立部會間協同作業之標準作業程序（SOP），以提升毒品防制工作之效率。進而運用歸戶系統之客觀數據，評量毒品替代療法政策之推行成效，並實際訪問領域專家及調查毒品犯社會適應之困難與需求，以歸納具體、可行之解決方案。 研究發現資訊系統可改善毒品危害防制中心效率，但不能單獨讓毒品防制工作之網絡有效運轉，現行毒品防制組織、制度問題之發現與解決更是關鍵。本文並依客觀數據之分析及實地訪問、調查結果，提出多項制度變革之建議，以供政府權責機關參採。 / Background:Drug abuse problems have been a global concern issue. Taiwan’s government introduced Methadone Maintenance Treatment (MMT) in Aug. 2005, now it has become one of the major strategies in fighting drug abuse. Whereas, up to 2010 MMT strategy still not shows effectiveness in reduce drug population and recidivism. The aim of this study is to: Provide the value to the Drug Abuse Provention System in R.O.C.through IT approach,and to evaluate whether MMT is performed adequately in Taiwan.If not,what are the key factors? The study will provide objective evidence and suggestions to authorities for better decision making. Methods: This study used Prove of Concept (POC) and experiment approachs. Build software system and SOP to prove the concept of “National Drug Addicts Supporting and Monitoring System (NDASMS)” can enhance the efficiency of Information Intergration among government agencies of drug prevention effectively. The study also used the data of NDASMS to evaluate the efficacy of MMT implementation in Taiwan, and find the reasons why MMT dose not work as expected. Result: The IT approach have been proved that enhance the infromation integration effectively among agencies, but IT can,t make the Chain of National Drug Provention Mechanism improve alone.The adequacy of MMT implementation and its supporting measures in Taiwan need to be further examined.

M.A. / Dependency affects the family as a whole and forms part of the transactional patterns that regulates the behaviour of the family members. Seeing that the family and dependent person has a mutual effect on each other relapse prevention is also influenced by the family system. Therefore it is essential that social work intervention with the chemical dependant person focuses on the family as a whole. Relapses seems to be a factor that needs to be taken in to account in the field of chemical dependency because of the very high relapse rates. The dependant behaviour is altered through the anticipation and management of relapses. Through viewing relapse prevention from the systemic context the family system as a whole can be focused on relapse prevention and not just the individual. This study aimed at exploring the role of the family in relapse prevention, thus identifying family factors which are of importance in relapse prevention of the chemical dependent person. A Qualitative research methodology was utilised to explore the diverse experiences of families regarding relapse prevention. The focus of this research is therefore on the family processes through which families create, maintain and discuss their own reality thus was family context, interaction and dynamics studied. The theoretical basis for the intervention with the chemical dependant person is established in the discussion of the relapse prevention model as well as the general systems theory. From this theoretical basis a work protocol was compiled to which data that was gathered and analysed. For the aim of this study a nonpiobability purposive sample was used in the compiling of the two focus groups. The focus groups lend itself to interviewing with small groups where the respondents explore their own reality. The data was gathered by means of field notes and audio tapes which were transcribed. Analysis of data was.done according to schedules and these schedules were compiled according to the literature. The schedules were divided in to the family and relapse prevention categories. Coding was done by the researcher and a co-coder in order to compare the results. In the coding process the researcher and co-coder utilised the schedules to code the transcribed audio tapes and field notes. The information gleaned form the data gathering and analysis was used to identify central themes. These themes were offered as results. The results obtained were compared to relevant literature in order to further the reliability of the research. The reliability of the study was examined in the light of credibility, transferability, dependability, and confirmability. From the study methodological and theoretical conclusions could be drawn. The methodological conclusions have to do with the method of research which was utilised in this study. Regarding the contextual aims and context of the empirical study certain theoretical conclusions were drawn. The results and conclusions indicated certain family factors that play a role in relapse prevention in the family system. Recommendations were offered on the basis of the study and the conclusions drawn. The methodology and context of the empirical study directs the recomMendations drawn thus ensuring the practice orientation of the results and the connection of the results to the goal of this study. This, research indicates that the family plays an important role in relapse prevention of the chemical dependant person as well as the value of the application of the relapse prevention model with a systemic application in the social work intervention with the chemical dependant person.

Children have been shown to respond differently to the hurt that they suffer at the hands of others. Some of these responses involve internalised behaviours (i.e., repression of feelings, bodily symptoms, etc.); whilst others hurt manifest as externalised behaviours, such as physical attacks on others. These may include sexualised behaviours. The latter is particularly common amongst (but not restricted to) children who have been sexually abused (The American Psychological Association, 2001). For the purposes of this study a distinction is made between developmentally appropriate sexual behaviour and non normative sexualised behaviour which evoke complaints from and discomfort in those involved in the behaviour. The manifestation of these sexualised behaviours is especially pronounced amongst children in institutional care; and hence, it calls for constructive and effective management by the child care workers who are primarily responsible for their safe care and behaviour modification whilst in the institution. This qualitative study – with an exploratory, descriptive and contextual research design – served to explore how the child care workers’ effective management of such behaviours could be enhanced, so that the emotional wellbeing of both the “offender” and the “perpetrator” of this behaviour can be promoted. A non-probability purposive sampling technique was employed to recruit research participants from three different child and youth care centres in Port Elizabeth. A total number of 10 research participants were involved and data was collected up to the point of data saturation. Thematic content analysis was utilised for the analysis of the data and the necessary strategies were employed to enhance the trustworthiness of the data and to meet all the ethical requirements of the study. The main findings alert to the key requirements of Child and Youth Care Workers; it confirms the occurrence of sexualised behaviours; the urgent need for a consistent approach to the management of such behaviours; and for enhanced team work between the helping professionals in the team. The value of the study is embedded in the contributions it can make to practical interventions for children in institutional care, and to the sparse body of knowledge in this area.

The purpose of this study is to evaluate the implementation of the "Key Components" as identified by the Department of Justice (1998) into the Riverside County Dependency Recovery Drug Court Program.