Planting the seeds of change: Directionality in the narrative construction of recovery from addiction

Objective: The dominant theoretical perspective that guides treatment evaluations in addiction assumes linearity in the relationship between treatment and outcomes, viewing behaviour change as a ‘before and after event’. In this study we aim to examine how the direction of the trajectory of the process from addiction to recovery is constructed in personal narratives of active and recovering users.

Design: 21 life stories from individuals at different stages of recovery and active use were collected and analysed following the principles of narrative analysis.

Results: Personal trajectories were constructed in discontinuous, non-linear and long lasting patterns of repeated, and interchangeable, episodes of relapse and abstinence. Relapse appeared to be described as an integral part of a learning process through which knowledge leading to recovery was gradually obtained.

Conclusion: The findings show that long-term recovery is represented as being preceded by periods of discontinuity before change is stabilised. Such periods are presented to be lasting longer than most short-term pre-post intervention designs can capture and suggest the need to rethink how change is defined and measured.     

Error monitoring recovery after abstinence and treatment in cocaine addicts / Recuperación del procesamiento de errores tras abstinencia y tratamiento en adictos a cocaína

Abstract

Cocaine addiction is associated with different cognitive functions. Error monitoring and inhibition of behaviour are of great significance, they are specifically relevant because of their connection with problems in decision making and relapse. The aim of this work is to not only study the deficits but also to see if recovery is possible after treatment and abstinence. We evaluated 23 participants with cocaine dependence and 23 control subject with a modification of the Eriksen Flanker Task. Participants with addiction showed lower scores than control subjects in congruent and incongruent conditions. As treatment time increased the number of correct responses improved, especially in post-error hits. We conclude that the processes of rehabilitation and detoxification could improve the ability to monitor errors and inhibiting behaviour.     

The role of ultrarunning in drug and alcohol addiction recovery: An autobiographic study of athlete journeys

PurposeThere is contentious understanding of the role of sport in adult recreational drug and alcohol addiction recovery. This study explored athlete autobiographies as cultural sites of analysis in relation to the role that one sport (i.e., ultrarunning) plays in addiction recovery capital pathways.DesignWorking at the intersection of an autobiographical approach grounded in relativist narrative inquiry, a social constructionist narrative thematic analysis was conducted of two autobiographies--Catra Corbett and Carlie Engle—about addiction recovery through ultrarunning (i.e., distances of 43 km or more). The narratives used to construct life transformation and recovery capital in relation to ultrarunning were centralized in the analysis using Frank’s (2013) work on illness narratives and the body.ResultsTwo narrative themes threaded athletes’ addiction recovery journeys: chaos narrative and quest narrative. Two sub-themes related to fluid identity transformation intertwined with ultrarunning were identified within these narratives: 1. ‘addict-runner’ (chaos) and 2. ‘addict runner to ultra-runner’ (quest). Nuanced meanings of suffering were connected to identity transformation and running and two forms of addiction recovery capital: human (e.g., psychological adjustment, life perspective) and social (e.g., family connection, community).ConclusionsThe research findings provide insight into the role of sport in psychosocial aspects of addiction recovery using an autobiographical approach grounded in narrative theory. This study also extends work in sport psychology focusing on autobiographies as research and pedagogical resources to learn more about athlete mental health.     

Neuroticism and Facebook Addiction: How Social Media can Affect Mood?

Abstract

Individuals high in neuroticism experience negative affect and social anxiety, therefore, they may prefer online communications where they are able to portray an idealized image of themselves to attract social support, seek validation, and enhance mood. These motivations may lead to greater social media use and addiction. In this study of Facebook users (N?=?742; 474 females, 268 males) who mostly resided in the United States, we explored the association between neuroticism, Facebook addiction, and negative affect. Our mediation model showed a partial mediating effect of Facebook addiction in predicting negative affect in individuals who were high in neuroticism. In theory, individuals who use Facebook as a tool to improve their mood may actually experience more negative affect due to social overload, jealousy, and envy. Individuals high in neuroticism, who already maintain a higher negative affect than those low in neuroticism, might be particularly inclined towards increased Facebook use, which could deteriorate their mood further. Consequently, individuals and therapists should be aware of the personality traits that could lead to greater Facebook addiction and a higher negative mood. Therapists could encourage users to engage in activities, other than social media use, that can improve mood without leading to addiction.     

An exploration of factors contributing to multicultural counseling self-efficacy in addiction counselors

A non-experimental, correlational survey design was used to explore relationships between counselor recovery status, training, and counselor demographic variables on multicultural counseling self-efficacy in addiction counselors (N = 283) using the Multicultural Counseling Self-Efficacy – Racial Diversity Form. A multiple-indicators and multiple-causes model analysis indicated significant differences based on race, multicultural education, and CACREP program attendance on multicultural counseling self-efficacy. Implications from this study and recommendations for future research are discussed.     

The association of Big Five personality traits and religiosity on Internet addiction among Israeli-Palestinian Muslim college students in Israel

ABSTRACT

Prior studies have demonstrated that personality traits and religiosity may be protective/risk factors for the development of Internet addiction; however, these associations have not been examined among the unique population of Israeli-Palestinian young adults. This study was the first to investigate the relationships between Internet addiction (Internet Addiction Test; IAT) with the Big Five personality traits (Big Five Personality Trait Short Questionnaire; BFPTSQ) and religiosity (Positions Regarding Religion Questionnaire) among a sample of Israeli-Palestinian Muslim college students (n?=?350). IAT scores were positively associated with BFPTSQ openness (r?=?.33, p?<?.01), BFPTSQ extraversion (r?=?.30, p?<?.01), and BFPTSQ agreeableness (r?=?.36, p?<?.01), whereas IAT scores were negatively related to religiosity (r?=??.46, p?<?.01), BFPTSQ conscientiousness (r?=??.33, p?<?.01), and BFPTSQ emotional stability (r?=??.36, p?<?.01). The present work may provide insight into risk factors for developing Internet addiction in a manner that may increase early identification and intervention efforts.     

Predictors of Smoking Status After Eight Years: The Interaction of Stages of Change and Addiction Variables

Abstract

With a smoking rate of 30% of the population Switzerland has one of the highest rates of all industrialised countries. Changes in smoking status over eight years are examined by analysing the course of non-smokers, former smokers and current smokers between 1987 and 1995. Stages of change and addiction variables, as well as their interaction, are analysed for 1987 as predictors of smoking status in 1995.A sample of 953 non-smokers and former and current smokers was interviewed in 1987 and followed up in 1995. Between 1987 and 1995 every fifth non-smoker (20.9%) began smoking. The higher one is in the stage hierarchy the higher the probability of forward than of backward movement. Within the stages of change the likelihood of cessation is moderated by addiction variables. Thus, in the case of contemplating smokers in 1987, the more cigarettes they smoked daily at that time the less likely they were to be former smokers by 1995, but for preparating smokers who had already made an attempt to quit the converse holds - the more they smoked in 1987, the more likely they were to be non-smokers eight years later. The same holds for former smokers in 1987: former moderate smokers then were more likely to relapse than former heavy smokers. The implications for prevention and intervention are discussed.     

Family Socioeconomic Status and Social Media Addiction in Female College Students: The Mediating Role of Impulsiveness and Inhibitory Control

Abstract

There is increasing evidence that low family socioeconomic status (SES) not only is a social issue, but also is a precursor to addiction to social media and other technologies. The authors investigated the relationship between family SES, stress, impulsiveness and inhibitory control, and social media addiction among Chinese female college students. The findings revealed that in lower-SES families, increased social media addiction was associated with reduced inhibitory control and increased stress and impulsiveness. A structural equation model was used to examine the mediation model hypothesis, and the results confirmed the mediating role of no-planning impulsiveness and inhibitory control between family educational level and social media addiction among Chinese female college students. These findings demonstrate the importance of reducing impulsiveness and improving inhibitory control for preventing social media addiction in female college students of low SES. Future studies are required to confirm precursors to social media addiction, elucidate causal mechanisms, and support the explanatory model of social media addiction.     

Addiction as a functional representation

This study examined how perceptions of the addicted state vary as a function of social conditions, personal circumstances and type of substance. University students (n = 144) were presented with portrayals of drug users in which sex, drug type and social setting were varied. A questionnaire determined the degree to which participants thought that the person portrayed was (i) addicted, (ii) prone to use drugs due to his/her personality, and (iii) perceived as a problem to society. The pattern of results fitted a functional model of the addiction concept rather than an attempt to describe an ‘objective’ state. Copyright © 2001 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.     

‘My language thing … is like a big shadow always behind me’: International counselling trainees' challenges in beginning clinical practice

Background: While counsellor education becomes increasingly culturally diverse, little is known about international trainees' experiences of training. Objective: The present study explores one aspect of training, namely clinical practice from the perspective of international, non‐native speaking trainees. In particular, this paper focuses on the challenges this group encounters when practicing in a second language. Methodology: Semi‐structured interviews with four non‐native English‐speaking trainees were conducted and analysed following the principles of interpretative phenomenological analysis (IPA). Results: Findings suggest that participants encounter practical difficulties related to their non‐native/foreign identity in practice, such as problems with articulate self‐expression and understanding the client's speech. These difficulties generate anxiety and impact on the trainees' confidence. Conclusions and implications for counsellor training: This study elucidates language as a fundamental aspect of culture, and identifies second language use as a significant source of difference in counselling practice. This paper highlights the need for attention to linguistic diversity and for appropriate support during counsellor education. This will improve international trainees' experiences of training, but also enhance all trainees' understanding of difference, resulting in better service provision for the community.     

青少年责任心人格、互联网服务偏好与"网络成瘾"的关系

研究发现在对PIU的影响上,责任心人格与互联网社交使用偏好存在显著的交互作用,但与互联网娱乐、信息和交易服务不存在显著的交互作用:(1)从平均影响来看,互联网社交、娱乐和交易使用偏好能够正向预测网络成瘾,责任心人格对网络成瘾有显著的反向预测效果,而互联网信息使用偏好对网络成瘾没有显著的预测效果;(2)在责任心高分组中,互联网社交服务偏好与PIU卷入程度是一种正向的关系,而在责任心低分组中则相反。     

Theological Distance Education

SUMMARY

Theological institutions accredited by the Association of Theological Schools with distance education courses or programs continue to increase. Theological librarians, although often overlooked, play a significant role in their use of technology to meet the needs of distance students with the support of national library guidelines and accreditation standards. The current state of support to seminary distance programs includes traditional interlibrary loans, consortium relationships, proprietary full text journals, and free Internet resources. Distance learning for graduate theological education is here to stay. The continuing efforts of pioneering distance seminary librarians will guarantee quality, passionate service to students of tomorrow.     

Attachment and behavioral addictions in adolescents: The mediating and moderating role of coping strategies

Gambling, video gaming, and Internet use are typically included as everyday activities that could potentially become behavioral addictions. There is growing evidence that views non‐substance related addictions as coping mechanisms, and considers that attachment styles are likely to play a pivotal role on the development of such addictions, especially on young people. Therefore, the present study aimed to: (1) explore the association between attachment, coping, and behavioral addictions (i.e., gambling disorder, video game addiction, and problematic Internet use); and (2) to analyze the mediating/moderating effect that coping has in the relationship of attachment and these behavioral addictions. A sample consisting of 472 students from secondary education (Mean age = 15.6; SD = 1.33; 51.6% females) was recruited. The findings showed a negative association between attachment and behavioral addictions. Most coping strategies were found to be associated with attachment styles, except for self‐critique and emotional avoidance. In particular, problem avoidance was significantly correlated to all behavioral addictions. In addition, self‐blame and problem solving were significantly correlated to video game addiction and problematic Internet use. Finally, coping was found to act as a mediator and moderator between attachment and video game addiction and problematic Internet use.     

What Does it Mean to Notice my Students’ Ideas in Science Today?: An Investigation of Elementary Teachers’ Practice of Noticing their Students’ Thinking in Science

Abstract

Efforts toward improving K-12 science education emphasize teachers noticing students’ thinking as they engage in disciplinary practices and reasoning. This noticing requires specialized teacher knowledge and skills as it involves attending to students’ ideas, as well as making sense of and responding to those ideas so that the disciplinary substance in them is recognized, made explicit, and supported. This study investigates three elementary teachers’ in-the-moment noticing of students’ ideas while teaching science and their thinking about what it means to engage in this teaching practice. Results indicate that teachers notice many different kinds of student science ideas, and also that teachers have different ways of thinking about which student ideas are substantive during a science lesson. This research contributes to our theoretical understanding of the nature of teacher noticing in science. Noticing students’ science ideas involves not only the presence of ideas and the ability to notice them, but also a teacher’s understanding of this teaching practice in the moment.     

Development of a work addiction scale

Andreassen, C. S., Griffiths, M. D., Hetland, J. & Pallesen, S. (2012). Development of a work addiction scale. Scandinavian Journal of Psychology 53, 265–272. Research into excessive work has gained increasing attention over the last 20 years. Terms such as “workaholism,”“work addiction” and “excessive work” have been used interchangeably. Given the increase in empirical research, this study presents the development of the Bergen Work Addiction Scale (BWAS), a new psychometrically validated scale for the assessment of work addiction. A pool of 14 items, with two reflecting each of seven core elements of addiction (i.e., salience, mood modification, tolerance, withdrawal, conflict, relapse, and problems) was initially constructed. The items were then administered to two samples, one recruited by a web survey following a television broadcast about workaholism (n = 11,769) and one comprising participants in the second wave of a longitudinal internet‐based survey about working life (n = 368). The items with the highest corrected item‐total correlation from within each of the seven addiction elements were retained in the final scale. The assumed one‐factor solution of the refined seven‐item scale was acceptable (root mean square error of approximation = 0.077, Comparative Fit Index = 0.96, Tucker‐Lewis Index = 0.95) and the internal reliability of the two samples were 0.84 and 0.80, respectively. The scores of the BWAS converged with scores on other workaholism scales, except for a Work Enjoyment subscale. A suggested cut‐off for categorization of workaholics showed good discriminative ability in terms of working hours, leadership position, and subjective health complaints. It is concluded that the BWAS has good psychometric properties.     

Facing the Music

Abstract

This article outlines how group practitioners can harness creative strategies to assist addicted clients in verbalizing and addressing the losses associated with addictive disorders. This article overviews the implementation of an experiential process that includes a warm up activity, a psychodrama, and utilization of empty chair techniques to address addiction related grief and loss. In addition, these models assist clients to discuss change and healing from the interpersonal devastation of addiction. Finally, the appropriate use and timing of these models are discussed and a case study is included to illustrate these principles in action.     

REVIEW OF HEYMAN'S ADDICTION: A DISORDER OF CHOICE

Gene Heyman's Addiction: A Disorder of Choice (2009) advances the important, albeit controversial, view that addiction is not a chronic, relapsing brain disease, but instead is an example of typical everyday choice that is both voluntary and self‐destructive. This review highlights Heyman's arguments for conceptualizing addiction as choice and discusses the utility of the treatment implications that are derived from the melioration model in which Heyman frames addiction. Self‐control and behavioral economics are presented as additional complementary frameworks for understanding addiction as choice, from which pragmatic, evidence‐based treatments for addiction (e.g., contingency management) might more easily be derived.     

Addicts to artists: The ‘good enough mother’ in the substance abuse clinic

Psychodynamic psychotherapy has had a bad reputation in substance abuse circles. Despite widespread use of behavioral interventions, outcomes remain relatively poor. The emerging trend is to incorporate relational and other psychodynamic approaches into addiction treatment. The article describes use of Winnicott's concepts of the ‘good enough mother’ and ‘play space’ in an outpatient ‘art group’.     

Sankofa Socialization as a Response to the Soul Trauma of Black Women Activists in Ministry

This article sets out an emerging discourse on defining and repairing the generational spiritual consequences of racism, victimization, marginalization, and isolation experienced by women of African descent, identified in this paper as “soul trauma.” Drawing on the work of W.E.B. Dubois, Joy DeGruy, Iva Carruthers, and others, it establishes the deep and deadly effect of internalized white supremacy and cultural hegemony on the identity and socialization of Black women, an effect that requires substantial work and repair beyond what established human service delivery practices can provide to the essential core of one's being, the soul. This article posits the concept and practice of Sankofa as a form of holistic medicine in the repair of Black souls, specific to the use of Kindezi, a Kikongo education system.