Tackling Problem Drug Use

SUMMARY

Successful 'recovery' from long-term problem drug use has depended largely upon understanding and tackling the physiological and psychological nature of drug dependence; however, drawing upon research and practice in Liverpool, England, the author questions whether this discourse is sufficient given the changing nature, context and attitudes towards drug consumption in the twenty-first century. This article emphasises the importance of incorporating structural and social factors. Drawing upon qualitative data from three separate studies, the author illustrates how stigmatisation, marginalisation, and social exclusion are significant debilitating components that have tended to be overlooked. This paper contributes new insights into the damaging impact of political rhetoric and structural discrimination that has placed many long-term drug users vulnerable to relapse. In response to these findings the author offers a new conceptual framework for practice that incorporates and promotes an understanding of the social nature and context of long-term drug dependence.     

Powerful Youth: Determining Successful Participation in an HIV Support Group for Youth

In this article, the authors report on a qualitative study that explored the use of narrative therapy with a diverse group of older adults dealing with mental health and substance misuse issues. Narrative therapy supports individuals to critically assess their lives and develop alternative and empowering life stories that aim to keep the problem in its place. Although the literature suggests this is a promising intervention for individuals, there is a lack of research on narrative therapy and group work. Aiming to address this gap, the authors developed and researched a narrative therapy group for older adults coping with mental health and substance misuse issues in Toronto, Canada. Taking an ethnographic approach, field notes and interviews provided rich data on how, when, and for whom, such a group could be beneficial. Findings contribute to the literature on group work, older adults, and narrative therapy.     

Effects of Parental Monitoring and Peer Deviance on Substance Use and Delinquency

From socialization theory, it was hypothesized that parental support and monitoring as well as peer deviance would influence individual trajectories of alcohol misuse, other substance use, and delinquency. Six waves of data were analyzed using interviews with 506 adolescents in a general population sample. Results from multilevel modeling showed that monitoring significantly predicted adolescents’ initial levels (intercepts) of alcohol misuse and delinquency. Parental monitoring strongly predicted the rates of increase (slope) in all 3 problem behaviors. Peer deviance significantly predicted initial levels of all problem behaviors and the rates of increase in them. This study provides evidence that both effective parenting and avoidance of associations with delinquent peers are important factors in preventing adolescent problem behaviors.     

Parental substance misuse and child care social work: research in a city social work department in England

This research set out to establish evidence about the scale and impact of and response to parental substance misuse in child care social work teams in a city social services department in England. The article draws on some aspects of the data collected in the research, which includes: a snapshot survey of all child care social work caseloads in the city; group interviews with practitioners and parents in recovery; individual interviews with parents using a pilot project that focused on parental substance misuse. The research provides evidence of parental substance misuse as a key factor that needs greater consideration within child care social work assessments and as an issue to target in developing preventative responses to child welfare concerns. Child care social workers are shown to need specialist support in undertaking this task to best effect. Copyright © 2004 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.     

韩日俄三国留学生“了”字使用的偏误调查

助词＂了＂是对外汉语教学中的一个难点。不同国家的留学生使用＂了＂时出现的偏误有共性也有个性,本文调查了韩日俄三国留学生使用＂了＂的偏误情况,并根据调查结果分析偏误原因。希望对留学生的助词＂了＂教学有所帮助。     

由“词性”的误释、误用所想到的

有些语法书甚至影响很大的工具书,把"词性"和"词类"这两个概念混淆了起来,文章对此进行了分析、辨正。由这种错用乱用概念的情况,笔者联系到目前语言文字运用中存在的生造乱用胡乱搭配的不规范现象并进行了评述。为维护祖国语言的纯洁和健康,我们语文刊物应该起好监督作用,对出版物中类似这方面的错误应及时匡谬正误,以便引起大家的高度重视。听任语言混乱的现象存在而不予纠正,是对祖国语言的损害,也是对人民利益的损害。     

从“差序格局”到“差序治理”——概念跨学科移用现象的分析与反思

在村治研究核心学科——农村公共管理学某些研究中,社会学概念"差序格局"被跨学科移用为"差序治理",概念的滥用和误用问题显得非常严重,使得乡村治理研究本该重视的历史感和未来性遭到了普遍的忽视,研究应有的科学性和敏锐性也受到了压制和侵蚀。因此,当前及今后对村治研究领域跨学科研究的推进应该注意三点:一是从根本上放弃简单地套用以往那些在"三农"问题研究中有广泛影响力的概念的研究思路;二是研究该有的历史感不能遭到淡化;三是对学术研究的社会效果要有所自觉。     

规制滥用公司法人格行为的法律思考

公司的独立人格是现代企业制度的核心。滥用公司法人格将严重危害安全交易,损害债权人的利益,扰乱经济正常秩序。我国尚无系统的公司法人格否认制度,探讨规制滥用公司法人格行为具有重要的意义。     

Substance misuse stories among Pacific peoples in New Zealand

This paper examines the oral stories of Pacific people attending addiction treatment services in Auckland, New Zealand who were participating in a larger study exploring the validity of the Alcohol, Smoking and Substance Involvement Screening Test. (ASSIST). A Talanoa approach was used by interviewers to help gain an understanding of the factors associated with participants’ substance misuse. Interviewers made notes of the stories they heard. Fifty participants were interviewed and expressed concerns related to how their substance use was influenced by their peers (66%, n?=?33), the environment they were living in (60%, n?=?30), and their family (50%, n?=?25). Sixteen participants provided detailed narratives of their lived experiences that permitted further in-depth analysis. Thematic analysis of these narratives revealed five interrelated themes; introduction to drugs and alcohol, family dynamics access to drugs, attempts at giving up, and motivation to stop. The use of a Talanoa approach, whilst administering a screening tool, such as the ASSIST, allows for a more in-depth exploration of an individual’s substance use. The information gathered would allow those working with Pacific people who misuse alcohol and/or drugs to develop culturally appropriate interventions.     

Helping families where parents misuse drugs or alcohol? A mixed methods comparative evaluation of an intensive family preservation service

Option 2 is an intensive family preservation service for families with serious child protection concerns related to parental misuse of drugs or alcohol. A previous evaluation indicated that it reduced the number of children entering care and, as a result, produced cost savings; however, little data were gathered from families. This study involved interviews with 15 families (46 children) who had received the service, and a comparison group of 12 families (28 children) referred but not provided the service due to no workers being available. Outcomes and experiences were compared, on average, 5.6 years following referral. Findings included a significant reduction in children entering care, and improvements in relation to substance misuse, parental well‐being and family cohesion. There was no difference in emotional and behavioural welfare of children. Qualitative accounts were very positive about the impact of the service, identifying effective engagement of parents and key elements of good practice in supporting families to change. The findings provide additional support for suggesting that high quality, intensive interventions with families affected by parental substance misuse can be effective. Key lessons for current attempts to deal with the increase in children entering care and the English government's ‘troubled families’ initiative are considered.