A social work support intervention for parents of adolescents recovering from a substance use disorder (SUD)

Abstract

Substance use disorders (SUDs) present a significant challenge for adolescents across the globe. The impact on the relationship between parents and their adolescents is profound, yet research-based knowledge is scarce on how parents with adolescents recovering from a SUD can be supported to cope. How the adolescents’ recovery affects parents and family dynamics is mostly ignored. Moreover, the impact of adolescent SUDs on parents is dictated by the intensity of the difficulties within the family and their inability to manage the conduct of the recovering adolescent. The research study addressed this knowledge gap by developing a social work support intervention for parents of adolescents recovering from a SUD. The qualitative research approach was employed to explore, describe, and contextualise the support needs of parents of adolescents recovering from a SUD. The researcher utilised the Intervention Design and Development (IDD) model to guide the research methodology, supported by the family systems theory and ecological systems theory as theoretical points of departure. The IDD model comprises six phases; however, this study implemented only the first four phases. In Phase 1 of the IDD model, the researcher identified and analysed the research problem and formulated the study's research questions, aims, and objectives. In Phase 2 of the IDD model, relevant literature was used to contextualise the study. Purposive sampling was utilised to select suitable research participants. Data was collected through semi-structured interviews to gather information from parents living with adolescents recovering from a SUD and social workers working with the parents of these adolescents. Data was analysed and verified using Guba's model (in Guba & Lincoln, 1989), ensuring that all ethical considerations were followed. In Phase 3 of the IDD model, the themes that emerged from the analysed data were used to design the social work intervention to support parents of adolescents recovering from a SUD. During Phase 4 of the IDD model, the preliminary social work support intervention for parents was presented to the experts in the field of v substance dependency to get their review of the intervention. Support group sessions with parents of adolescents recovering from a SUD were used to pilot test the intervention. After conducting the support group sessions with these parents, their feedback was incorporated into the social work support intervention. This social work intervention will be used to support parents of adolescents recovering from a SUD to enhance their knowledge and skills in coping. It is evident that social workers are not well-equipped with intervention strategies to support parents of adolescents recovering from a SUD. This study will also provide social workers’ insights into the support needs of these parents. and how to assist them in coping. Potential benefits of the intervention include bettering the welfare of the parents of adolescents recovering from a SUD, helping social workers with a programme to support these parents, and providing better services to clients. In addition, this study aims to enhance the self-care practices of parents and foster better relationships between parents and their children. The suggestions proposed in this study are expected to aid in the development of policies that cater to the support needs of parents who are living with adolescents recovering from a SUD. Ultimately, the social work support intervention aims to benefit the entire family unit.

Bolwetši bja Tšhomišo ya Dihlare-tagi bo tšweletša tlhohlo e kgolo go bafsa bao ba lego mahlalagading lefaseng ka bophara. Kgahlamelo tswalanong magareng ga batswadi le bafsa ba bona ba mahlalagading ke e kgolo, lega go le bjalo go na le tlhaelelo ya tsebo yeo e theilwego nyakišišong mabapi le kamoo batswadi bao ba nago le bafsa bao ba fola go bolwetši bja tšhomišo ya dihlare-tagi ba ka thekgwago ka gona go lebeletšana le boemo. Bothata bja kamoo bolwetši bja tšhomišo ya dihlare-tagi ya bafsa ba lego mahlalagading e kgomago batswadi le mafolofolo a lapa bo hlokomologwa kudu, gomme batswadi ba bafsa bao ba fola go bolwetši bja tšhomišo ya dihlare-tagi ba hwetša go le thata go šoma. Kgopolo ya morwalo wa lapa e ka dirišetšwa go kwešiša kamoo bolwetši bja tšhomišo ya dihlare-tagi ya bafsa ba lego mahlalagading e kgomago batswadi ka gona. Go feta moo, mafelelo a bolwetši bja tšhomišo ya dihlare-tagi ya mofsa yo a lego mahlalagading go batswadi a laolwa ke go ba thata ga mathata ka gare ga lapa le go se kgone ga bona go laola boitshwaro bja mofsa yo a lego mahlalagading yo a fola. Thuto ya nyakišišo e ile ya rarolla sekgoba se sa tsebo ka go hlama lenaneo la tsenogare ya mošomo wa leago bakeng sa batswadi ba bafsa bao ba fola go tšwa go bolwetši bja tšhomišo ya dihlare-tagi. Mokgwa wa nyakišišo ya boleng o šomišitšwe go hlahloba, go hlaloša, le go beakanya dinyakwa tša thekgo tša batswadi ba bafsa bao ba fola go tšwa go bolwetši bja tšhomišo ya dihlare-tagi. Monyakišiši o šomišitše gape Mohlala wa Moralo le Tlhabollo ya Tsenogare (IDD) go hlahla mokgwa wa nyakišišo, wo o thekgwago ke ditshepedišo tša Malapa le teori ya ditshepedišo tša tikologo bjalo ka dintlha tša teori tša go thoma. Go tla šomišwa go tšea mehlala ka morero le ka kgwele ya lehlwa go kgetha batšwasehlabelo ba maleba ba nyakišišo. Mohlala wa IDD o akaretša dikgato tše tshela; le ge go le bjalo, nyakišišo ye e phethagaditše fela dikgato tše nne tša mathomo. Mo Kgatong ya 1 ya mohlala wa IDD, monyakišiši o lemogile le go sekaseka bothata bja nyakišišo gomme a hlama dipotšišo tša nyakišišo ya nyakišišo, maikemišetšo, le maikemišetšo. Mo Kgatong ya 2 ya mohlala wa IDD, dingwalo tša maleba di šomišitšwe go beakanya nyakišišo ye ka diteng. Go šomišitšwe go tšea mehlala ka vii morero le ka kgwele ya lehlwa go kgetha batšwasehlabelo ba maleba ba nyakišišo. Datha e kgobokeditšwe ka dipoledišano tšeo di sego tša rulaganywa gabotse go kgoboketša tshedimošo go tšwa go batswadi bao ba dulago le bafsa bao ba fola go tšwa go bolwetši bja tšhomišo ya dihlare-tagi le badirelaleago bao ba šomago le batswadi ba bafsa bao ba fola go tšwa go SUD. Datha e ile ya sekaseka le go netefatšwa ka go šomiša mohlala wa Guba (1989), go netefatša gore dikelohloko ka moka tša boitshwaro di latetšwe nyakišišong ka moka. Mo Kgatong ya 3, ya IDD dihlohlo tšeo di tšweletšego go tšwa go datha yeo e sekasekilwego di šomišitšwe go hlama lenaneo la tsenogare ya mošomo wa leago go thekga batswadi ba bafsa bao ba lego mahlalagading bao ba fola go tšwa go bolwetši bja tšhomišo ya dihlare-tagi. Nakong ya Kgato ya 4,ya IDD tsenogare ya mathomo ya thekgo ya mošomo wa leago go batswadi ba bafsa bao ba fola go tšwa go bolwetši bja tšhomišo ya dihlare-tagi e ile ya tšweletšwa go ditsebi tša lefapha la go ithekga ka diokobatši go hwetša tshekatsheko ya bona ka lenaneo. Dithulaganyo tša sehlopha sa thekgo le batswadi ba bafsa ba mahlalagading di šomišitšwe go leka lenaneo la tlwaetšo. Ka morago ga dithulaganyo tša sehlopha sa thekgo le batswadi, ditshwaotshwao go tšwa go batswadi di ile tša šomišwa go hlwekišwa ga lenaneo la tsenogare bakeng sa batswadi ba bafsa bao ba fola go tšwa go bolwetši bja tšhomišo ya dihlare-tagi. Lenaneo le la tlhahlo le tla tšweletšwa go godiša tsebo le mabokgoni a baokamedi ba mošomo wa leago bao ba šomago ka gare ga maemo a tlhabollo ya leago. Go molaleng gore badirelaleago ga ba hlometšwe gabotse ka maano a tsenogare go thekga batswadi ba bafsa bao ba fola go tšwa go SUD. Thuto ye e be e ikemišeditše go fa batswadithekgo go lebeletšana le maemo ban aba bona. Mehola yeo e ka bago gona ya lenaneo la tsenogare e akaretša go kaonefatša tshepedišo ya boiketlo, go thuša badirelaleago ka lenaneo la go thekga batswadi ba bafsa bao ba fola go tšwa go bolwetši bja tšhomišo ya dihlare-tagi, le go nea bareki ditirelo tše kaone. Go tlaleletša, nyakišišo ye e ikemišeditše go godiša mekgwa ya go itlhokomela ya batswadi le go godiša dikamano tše kaone magareng ga batswadi le bana ba bona. Ditšhišinyo tšeo di šišintšwego mo nyakišišong ye di letetšwe go thuša ka tlhabollong ya melawana yeo e hlokomelago dinyakwa tša thekgo tša batswadi bao ba šomanago le bolwetši bja tšhomišo ya dihlare-tagi ya bana ba bona bao ba lego mahlalagading. Mafelelong, lenaneo le le ikemišeditše go hola maloko a lelapa kamoka.