In South Africa today, the numbers of drug-dependent adolescents are increasing at alarming rates. These adolescents require rehabilitation. The numbers of institutions that offer drug rehabilitation services are also growing exponentially. However, the programs followed by the institutions are wide ranging in nature and are not controlled by government or a professional body. Although these institutions claim individual successes, their success rates – especially in regard of adolescents – is highly subjective and suspect. The discipline of educational psychology is uniquely capable of setting objective criteria to which all programs for drug-dependent adolescents should comply. Educational psychology emphasizes two important aspects of human development: The educational and the psychological. Moreover, it gives considerable weight to the adolescent’s participation in her own development. The uncontrolled use of dependence-forming substances by adolescents negatively influences every level of their physical, emotional, cognitive, psychological and social development. To facilitate their growth to responsible adulthood, specialized treatment is required to address specific adolescent developmental tasks and needs. It has become imperative that the programs offered to adolescents in South Africa be analysed and examined critically in order to determine whether they comply with the dictates of a responsible educational-psychological approach. It is against this background that a research study was undertaken to investigate the current position of drug rehabilitation programs for adolescents offered by centres and clinics in South Africa. The aim of this study was to determine and describe educational-psychological criteria to evaluate the suitability of current programs that are offered to drug dependent adolescents in this country. A theoretical framework was developed by an extensive literary research. This framework formed the foundation of an empirical study. The initial stage of the empirical study – the identification of drug rehabilitation centres and clinics that offer in-patient treatment for adolescents – was hampered by the lack of government involvement in the registration and monitoring of such centres and clinics and the programs they offer. No database containing information on drug use, drug misuse and drug dependence, as well as places and methods of rehabilitation, exists. Identified institutions were contacted and requested to participate in this research. Several refused. The centres and clinics that were willing to assist and offered unique programs, were visited. In several instances one centre was visited and described as representative of several centres or clinics that offer programs based on a similar approach. Documentation regarding drug rehabilitation programs were perused. Interviews with adolescents – whose parents had given permission for their participation – and with available parents and staff were recorded and transcribed. The transcriptions were qualitatively analysed. Educational-psychological criteria that address the specific development needs of adolescents were identified. This research found that although some programs address some minor educationalpsychological aspects of the adolescent’s substance problem, not one of the in-patient programs addressed the problem holistically by emphasizing the development and needs of these adolescents. The effect of these programs on the educationalpsychological development of adolescents moving towards responsible adulthood, must be questioned. The educational-psychological criteria – as set out in this research study – should be applied to in-patient drug rehabilitation programs for adolescents in South Africa to increase the quality and success of the said programs. Through such an approach, adolescents are valued as individuals who have to complete general developmental tasks successfully to arrive at a responsible and meaningful adulthood. / Prof. J.C. Kok

Recent research into the adolescent substance abuser has been motivated by the recognition that the successful rehabilitation of such persons may depend on the development of a positive self-concept. Literature dealing with the Gestalt Therapy, the Adolescent; Chemical Dependency, Addiction and Substance Abuse have been discussed. The various stages and elements of social development of the adolescent were discussed in order to determine whether there exists a correlation between a dysfunctional family life or “unfinished business” and the cause of substance abuse. The interviews conducted with thirteen (13) respondents, who were referred by the court and/or educational institutions, indicate that there is a definite connection between the poor self-concept of the adolescent substance abuser (based on previous traumatic experiences) and substance abuse. The research indicates that the majority of these adolescents choose to abuse substances for comfort – to compensate for the fragmentation in their lives. In accordance with the Gestalt Therapy which advocates an integration of the various elements of the self – a holistic view - the researcher found that it was possible to treat the addiction successfully if the adolescent could deal with the “unfinished business” in his/her past. Consequently, the final Chapter of this study sets out guidelines of the development of a therapeutic programme founded on principles of the Gestalt Therapy. / Dr. E. Oliphant Dr. W.J.H. Roestenburg

The subject of this thesis is criminal justice sentencing policy. The thesis examines the role of the Drug Court in diverting drug dependent offenders from the conventional Criminal Justice System. A large percentage of convicted offenders have a drug addiction problem and such offenders impose staggering burdens on an already overwhelmed Criminal Justice System. Diversion programs offer a practicable alternative to the traditional court system, and this thesis will investigate the feasibility of a Drug Court in Vancouver, British Columbia, Canada. In examining the advantages and disadvantages of this method of sentencing, the thesis assesses the value of compulsory treatment and determines whether criminal justice sanctions should incorporate compulsory treatment initiatives. To aid in this analysis, additional diversion programs for drug addicted offenders are examined. The Drug Court is assessed through a comparison of the court with traditional sentencing principles. This thesis analyses the success of the Drug Court in other jurisdictions and looks at how the Drug Court deals with the sociological and environmental factors linked to drug abuse and criminality. In determining whether a Drug Court is a feasible option for Vancouver, the thesis examines these external crimogenic factors and the strategies undertaken by the City to combat drug-related crime. It is argued that the conventional criminal justice system provides little, if any, progressive and pro-active drug abuse intervention. This thesis concludes that Vancouver should implement a Drug Court to divert offenders from the traditional court system, and argues that the Drug Court diversion program should be available for drug-dependent property offenders. It identifies how the court can operate alongside pre-existing community services to ensure that post-release environmental conditions are conducive to drug abstinence and legitimate activity. In recommending adoption of the drug court program, the thesis stresses the importance of making this diversion scheme part of a community-based, long-term, holistic intervention strategy. The thesis ends with practical suggestions for implementation of a Drug Court program in Vancouver. / Law, Peter A. Allard School of / Graduate

No description available.

by Tse Kam Fai. / Thesis (M.Phil.)--Chinese University of Hong Kong, 1995. / Includes bibliographical references (leaves 216-228). / Abstract / Acknowledgements / Chapter Chapter 1: --- Introduction / Chapter 1.1 --- Contexts and Objectives of the Study --- p.1 / Chapter 1.2 --- Related Studies in Hong Kong --- p.9 / Chapter 1.3 --- "Identity, Role, and Social Behavior" --- p.13 / Chapter 1.4 --- Data and Methodology --- p.16 / Chapter 1.5 --- Outline of Chapters --- p.20 / Chapter Chapter 2: --- Literature Review / Chapter 2.1 --- Medical-Disease Model: Exposition and Critique --- p.22 / Chapter 2.2 --- Social Deviance Model --- p.24 / Chapter 2.2.1 --- On Etiology and Process of Drug Use / Chapter 2.2.2 --- On Cessation of Drug Use / Chapter 2.2.3 --- "Social Learning, Resocialization and Therapeutic Community" / Chapter 2.2.4 --- Resocialization as Social Learning: The Oversocialization Critique / Chapter 2.3 --- Identity Model --- p.32 / Chapter 2.3.1 --- Resocialization as Identity Transformation / Chapter 2.3.2 --- Types of Identity Transformation / Chapter 2.3.3 --- Resocialization as Conversion / Chapter Chapter 3: --- A Comparison Between SARD A and Operation Dawn / Chapter 3.1 --- "History, Services, and Social Position" --- p.43 / Chapter 3.2 --- Treatment Philosophy and Practice --- p.47 / Chapter 3.3 --- Treatment and Rehabilitation Programme --- p.48 / Chapter 3.3.1 --- Pre-admission Procedure / Chapter 3.3.2 --- In-patient Service / Chapter 3.3.3 --- Halfway House and Aftercare / Chapter 3.4 --- A Statistical Profile of Admission Cases: SKC vs Dawn Island Centre --- p.60 / Chapter Chapter 4: --- Pre-admission Stage / Chapter 4.1 --- "Addict Role-taking, Role-engulfment and Deviant Identity Formation" --- p.63 / Chapter 4.1.1 --- First Use and the Honeymoon; Taking the addict role / Chapter 4.1.2 --- "Addiction and Life as ""Junkie"": Developing the deviant self-identity" / Chapter 4.2 --- Addict Role-strain and Identity Crisis --- p.83 / Chapter 4.2.1 --- """Hitting the Bottom"" and Motivation to Change" / Chapter 4.2.2 --- Preliminary Attempts: Using Self-administered Methods / Chapter Chapter 5: --- Treatment and Rehabilitation Stage / Chapter 5.1 --- Role-conflict and Identity Negotiation --- p.92 / Chapter 5.1.1 --- "Accepting the ""patient"" or ""sinner"" role" / Chapter 5.1.2 --- The Intensity and Nature of Role Conflict / Chapter 5.1.3 --- Altercasting of Normal Identity / Chapter 5.1.4 --- "Strategies of Identity Negotiation: ""how actors react""" / Chapter 5.2 --- "Identity Transformation: ""how actors are transformed""" --- p.115 / Chapter 5.2.1 --- "Strategies, Materials, and Agents" / Chapter 5.2.2 --- Cognitive Base of Transformation / Chapter 5.2.3 --- Affective Base of Transformation / Chapter 5.2.4 --- Normative Base of Transformation / Chapter Chapter 6: --- Continued Rehabilitation and Social-Reintegration Stage / Chapter 6.1 --- Types of Identity Transformation --- p.140 / Chapter 6.1.1 --- Dawn Island Centre: Religious Conversion / Chapter 6.1.2 --- SKC: Alternation / Chapter 6.2 --- Identity Validation and Types of Role-Support --- p.144 / Chapter 6.2.1 --- Identity Validation and Legitimation / Chapter 6.2.2 --- Types of Role-Support / Chapter Chapter 7: --- Conclusion and Discussion / Chapter 7.1 --- "Identity Transformation, Role-Support and Abstinence" --- p.156 / Chapter 7.2 --- Drug Addicts' Recovery: An Interactive and Joint Accomplishment --- p.159 / Chapter 7.3 --- The Contingent Nature of Recovery Career --- p.161 / Chapter 7.4 --- SARD A and Operation Dawn: Two Different Pathways of Recovery --- p.163 / Chapter 7.4.1 --- Religious Conversion: Pathway to Christianity / Chapter 7.4.2 --- Alternation: Pathway to Normality / Chapter 7.5 --- Significance and Limitations of Study --- p.166 / Appendix I: A Socio-Demographic Profile of Informants --- p.169 / Appendix II: Tables --- p.173 / Appendix III: A Glossary of Hongkong Addicts' Argots --- p.190 / Appendix IV: Document and Questionnaire Samples --- p.192 / Appendix V: Photos of the Dawn Island Gospel Treatment Centre --- p.203 / Appendix VI: Interview Schedules --- p.209 / Bibliography --- p.216

This project assesses the need for evaluating the Family Nurturing Program for its effectiveness with the Riverside County Dependency Recovery Drug Court (DRDC) participants and their children.

Recovery from alcoholism and substance abuse has had an ignominious history. There does not appear to be any statistics that stand up to any rigorous fact-checking which show how well treatment centers do at helping their clients to stay sober. Statistics that are used to show success rates are not considered credible and they are shockingly low. Despite these issues, substance abuse research has failed to link the historical knowledge of why people stay sober for long periods of time with what is being taught in treatment centers in hopes of creating a better, more accurate outcome. The qualitative, phenomenological research study was conducted to ascertain whether a treatment center was teaching the curriculum components that prior research studies had found allowed an addict or alcoholic to stay sober for 20 plus years. Twelve volunteer participants (i.e., nine clients and three counselors), at a treatment center located in Southeast Florida, were interviewe d regarding their perceptions of the curricula being taught in the treatment center. Patterns emerged with the clients regarding their perceptions of spirituality and 12-step programs, believing that spirituality and 12-step programs were significantly emphasized in treatment and that they were very important to their recovery when they left treatment. Counselors agreed with this finding, but felt stronger about the importance of family and social support than did the clients. Overall, the clients felt that what was emphasized in treatment was important to their recovery and intended to use their new knowledge in helping them stay sober. Implications for treatment centers and recommendations for future studies are discussed. / Includes bibliography. / Dissertation (Ph.D.)--Florida Atlantic University, 2015. / FAU Electronic Theses and Dissertations Collection

Coordenação de Aperfeiçoamento de Pessoal de Nível Superior / Nesta pesquisa, a toxicomania não é sinônimo de dependência de uma substância psicoativa, e sim, é compreendida como uma relação intensa e exclusiva, em que o uso de drogas se estabelece também como uma função na vida psìquica. Este trabalho se propõe analisar os deslizamentos na demanda de tratamento por parte do toxicômano, ao longo do internamento voluntário. Tem como objetivos especìficos: identificar as especificidades da entrada do toxicômano em uma instituição de tratamento; investigar os destinos da demanda no percurso do internamento; situar o modo de manejo do lugar institucional na prática clìnica com toxicômanos; e articular os vieses do encontro - entre toxicômano e instituição - com o discurso em voga na pós-modernidade. O cerne da investigação é averiguar os efeitos singulares da escuta psicanalìtica no âmbito institucional, em favor da subversão do sujeito. Se para o toxicômano a droga participa como uma destituição do sujeito, ao apresentar-se colado, falando de si, somente a partir do uso que faz da droga, a via indicada consiste em ofertar palavras. A direção do tratamento, ao buscar ouvir a função tóxica da droga, ao invés de tão somente ocupar-se com o uso ou não uso de uma substância psicoativa, pode possibilitar que o sujeito que atua com sua toxicomania encontre espaço para um deslize significante, e que seja possìvel colocar em trabalho o seu modo de gozo. Portanto, uma instituição engajada na clìnica da toxicomania precisa estar duplamente advertida de sua função: primeiro, esquivar-se do modelo de instituição consonante com os princìpios pós-modernos, que exaltam o excesso de gozo e o apagamento do limite; e segundo, deve saber que é só ao preço de conseguir suportar o lugar do impossìvel que ela configura-se como um lugar possìvel de endereçamento. A pesquisa foi realizada no Instituto RAID, uma Organização Não Governamental, que segue a orientação psicanalìtica em seu manejo clìnico-institucional e trabalha na prevenção e tratamento de pessoas de ambos os sexos que, voluntariamente, optam por acompanhamento devido a problemas relacionados ao uso abusivo ou dependência de álcool e outras drogas. Participaram desta pesquisa, toxicômanos em tratamento, albergados integralmente na instituição. Por meio de entrevistas buscou-se percorrer os sentidos que a toxicomania evoca, e refletir as especificidades dessa Clìnica. Na articulação com os casos é possìvel reconhecer a singular significação e representação do uso de drogas na toxicomania, um dos modos de lidar com o mal-estar ao investir no tóxico como solução real para a subjetivação. Tais deslocamentos promovidos pelo sujeito que se nomeia toxicômano e traz como queixa seu uso de drogas pode no curso do internamento voluntário consentir em perceber a função que o tóxico ocupa em sua vida psìquica, e implicar-se nisso. A voluntariedade no tratamento é um componente ético fundamental, na medida em que, somente a partir da disponibilidade de cada sujeito será possìvel a construção de novos itinerários para o seu próprio desejo.

D.Litt. et Phil. (Psychology) / Research shows a consistent increase in substance abuse. Research further states that recovery is a long-term process and that relapse rates are high. Substance abuse has a devastating effect on all dimensions of an abuser's life. Substance abuse research primarily focuses on primary care intervention. This study focuses on secondary phase treatment because of the long-term nature of the disease. Research indicates that a holistic integrated treatment, using a bio-psychosocial spiritual approach, may yield the best treatment outcome. Many treatment models acknowledge the spiritual aspect of substance abuse, but overlook the value of focusing on the spiritual aspect to effect holistic improvement. This study proposes that such a focus, when part of an integrated treatment model, may augment treatment outcome. The researcher set out to develop and evaluate an integrated Christian psychological secondary phase treatment model for substance abusers. The theoretical framework of this study integrates aspects of contemporary models, existing models and a Christian treatment model. Integrative psychotherapy produces treatment models that are more complete and result in more effective treatment. Five treatment components were systematically integrated to form a meta model. These components comprised: contemporary psychological models, professionally developed models, a Christian model, the psychology of religion and Christian psychology. The Christian belief of the study participants was included as the fifth component. This resulted in the development of a Christian-based psychological model that was applied and evaluated for its potential to promote recovery, prevent relapse and maintain abstinence. The developed model consisted of three phases: assessment, intervention and evaluation...

The focus of this treatise is to explore the attitudes and perceptions of university students towards binge drinking at a South African University. Binge drinking among university students is a serious concern, prevalent on many campuses and ingrained on university campuses worldwide. The aims of this study were (a) to describe students’ understanding of binge drinking, (b) to explore and describe university students’ attitudes towards and perceptions of binge drinking, and (c) to explore the contextual factors relating to binge drinking within a university setting. An exploratory, qualitative approach was utilized. The collection of data was initiated using a biographical questionnaire to identify participants relevant to the study. The data collection process continued with semi‐structured focus group interviews. Data was collected by conducting four focus group sessions with two separate groups of students between the ages of 18 and 25 and residing on a university campus. Data analysis was conducted in accordance with the principles and guidelines of Tesch’s (as cited in Creswell, 1994) eight steps in qualitative data analysis. The results of this study indicate the following: there is lack of knowledge and understanding of binge drinking, students have positive perceptions of binge drinking and there is a perception that the university environment promotes binge drinking. In order to address binge drinking, strategies need to be implemented in the student, family, university and community context.