Journal
JOURNAL OF FAMILY SOCIAL WORK
Volume 24, Issue 5, Pages 398-419Publisher
ROUTLEDGE JOURNALS, TAYLOR & FRANCIS LTD
DOI: 10.1080/10522158.2021.1933667
Keywords
Substance use disorder; SUD; emotional state; feelings; isolation; family system and subsystem
Categories
Ask authors/readers for more resources
This study explores the experiences of family members living with individuals with substance use disorder (SUD), focusing on their emotional bonds and feelings towards the affected relatives. The findings suggest that parents and adult children tend to show more positive emotions, while spouses and siblings exhibit more negative feelings towards the relatives with SUD.
This study shares the experiences of 16 family members who have lived with a close relative with substance use disorder (SUD). Primarily, the study asks, what are the experiences of family members living with an individual with SUD? In particular, what are their experiences of affection and emotional bonds? Moreover, it asks, what are the experiences of each family member regarding cohesion and communication? Qualitative methods were used, and 16 semi-structured interviews were conducted. The participants were organized into groups of four: four parents, four spouses, four adult children and four siblings of individuals affected by SUD. Each group comprised two men and two women. Overall, the participants felt that SUD had harmed their families' emotional bonds. Parents and adult children reported greater affection toward their relatives with SUD (children and parents) than spouses and siblings did toward their relatives affected by SUD (spouses and siblings). These feelings were expressed in terms of positive emotions such as compassion and hope, whereas spouses and siblings expressed more negative feelings such as hopelessness or rage. From the analysis, a proposed dynamic functional model of emotional states in the study's families was formed, showing the dynamics of feelings and emotional bonds between specific family members and the family member with SUD (This paper is a part of a larger research project).
Authors
I am an author on this paper
Click your name to claim this paper and add it to your profile.
Reviews
Recommended
No Data Available