Reasons for Entering Treatment Reported by Initially Treatment-Resistant Patients with Substance Use Disorders

Many individuals with substance use disorders are resistant to entering formal treatment, despite the negative consequences that plague their own lives and the lives of concerned significant others (CSOs). Community Reinforcement and Family Training (CRAFT) has been developed as an effective strategy for helping family members who are concerned about the alcohol/drug use of a loved one who refuses to seek treatment. The present study explored reasons and feelings that played a part in these resistant individuals' (identified patients [IPs]) decision to begin treatment. Written statements and feelings of 36 initially treatment-refusing IPs, who were engaged into treatment via their CRAFT-trained CSOs, were examined upon entering treatment. Self-report forms assessed three complementary domains about entering treatment: (1) feelings about coming for treatment, (2) important reasons for entering treatment, and (3) reasons for entering treatment narratives. It was shown that the occurrences of self-reported positive emotions and statements that expressed a positive wish for change outweighed negative feelings and statements. Although conceivably these CRAFT-exposed IPs may have provided different responses than other treatment-seeking populations, the current study's strong IP reports of positive feelings, reasons, and narrative statements regarding treatment entry nonetheless address potential concerns that treatment-refusing IPs might only enter treatment if felt coerced by family members and while experiencing salient negative feelings overall.     

Addiction treatment providers’ perceptions of publicly-funded treatment services in the Western Cape,South Africa

This study explored addiction treatment implementation effectiveness of publicly-funded services in the Western Cape, South Africa, as perceived by service providers. Informants were six service providers from state-subsidised and public outpatient treatment services for substance use disorders (SUDs) (social workers = 4, registered counsellor = 1, psychologist = 1). Data were collected using semi-structured interviews and analysed by means of thematic analysis. The three themes that emerged from the analysis pertained to addiction treatment providers’ perceptions of the effectiveness of treatment services, lack of aftercare services, and service access and participation. Findings highlight sites for interventions to enhance the provision of publicly-funded evidence-based treatment services for SUDs in South Africa; enabling recipients to yield the well-established benefits of treatment.     

Adolescents’ perceptions of health and well-being: Influences of urban contemporary music

The study aimed to explore adolescents’ perceptions of how urban contemporary music influences health and well-being among them. Data on health and well-being effects of music consumption were gathered from a convenience sample of 16 participants (male = 50%, females = 50%) between the ages of 15 and 17 in a series of two focus group interviews. The data were analysed using thematic analysis. Findings suggest the adolescents to perceive both positive and negative influences of contemporary music on their health and well-being. Positive influences included emotional well-being and sense of social belongingness. Negative influences included promotion of risky behaviours, including substance use, misogyny, sexual behaviour and violence. The findings suggest that urban contemporary music serves as a tool of normalisation as well as a catalyst for encouraging risky behaviour in adolescence.     

《神农本草经》的道家养生思想与汉画像石中的羽人仙药图

以<神农本草经>中的道家养生思想,结合汉画像石中的羽人仙药图,说明秦汉时期道家养生思想对<神农本草经>的渗透与影响,以及<神农本草经>道家养生思想对后世本草方剂学的重要影响.     

Cognitive Social Maturity, Life Change Events, and Health Risk Behaviors among Adolescents: Development of a Structural Equation Model

Purpose: To examine the roles of cognitive social maturity and life change events in a structural equation model (SEM) to explain adolescents' use of marijuana, tobacco, and alcohol. Methods: Data were derived from 1322 9th and 10th graders in a HIV prevention study. Students completed a survey of their cognitive social maturity, recent life events and substance use habits. A model from a study on the metabolic control of adolescents with diabetes was modified to apply to health risk behaviors. Results: A SEM was tested and fit the data well. Lower cognitive social maturity and greater life change events significantly predicted health risk behaviors. Life events partially mediated the relationship between cognitive social maturity and health risk behaviors. Conclusions: Adolescents' social thought processes are related to their recent life events, which in turn are related to their substance use behaviors. Suggestions are made for interventions to improve adolescents' cognitive social maturity.     

基于门户理论视角下的青少年物质成瘾

青少年物质成瘾行为受到普遍的关注, 成瘾物质滥用的机制一直是学者们探讨和研究的焦点。门户理论提出青少年发展成严重药物滥用者的过程存在顺序和阶段特征, 合法物质的使用会增加发展为非法药物使用的风险, 这种顺序效应得到了实证研究的支持。本研究在综述以往研究的基础上发现, 基于门户理论视角下青少年药物使用存在顺序效应, 但以往研究仍然存在一些不足, 例如药物使用顺序的不固定, 解释范围有限, 内在机制不清楚以及各种影响因素缺乏整合等。未来可以扩展研究对象和范围, 以深入研究顺序效应的内在机制。     

基于“相关线索-自动化用药行为”联结的成瘾记忆消退

成瘾记忆消退致力于消除成瘾者相关线索与药物奖赏效应的联结,以达到消除心理渴求、戒断成瘾行为的目的,但其效果还十分有限。最近,大量的动物和人类实验研究发现:在相关线索下,成瘾者的激活脑区不仅包括中脑边缘皮层-背内侧纹状体,还延伸到感觉运动脑区-背外侧纹状体。这意味着成瘾记忆中存在相关线索与自动化(习惯性)用药行为的联结。所以,与成瘾相关的记忆可能包含两种不同的成分:一是与药物奖赏效应相关的情绪记忆,另一种是与用药动作、技能有关的动作记忆(程序记忆)。由于在成瘾阶段,药物奖赏效应对药物使用和复发的作用已经相对减少,因此,针对成瘾记忆的消退训练,以相关线索与自动化用药行为的联结为标靶,可能可以取得更好的效果,值得做进一步的深入探索。