The problems of patients with dual diagnoses (substance abuse and psychiatric disorders) have only recently come under study. While attempting to assess the feasibility of offering services to family members of dual-diagnosis patients, the authors encountered problems in delivering services to the patients themselves. These problems included inadequate reporting methods, lack of a combined treatment approach, lack of family involvement, and inadequate referral resources. This paper discusses some of the impediments to treatment and areas of needed research.
This study examined the family ties of heroin addicts applying for drug treatment. Information was abstracted from the intake applications of 98 consecutive admissions to a methadone maintenance program to determine the extent to which they were connected with family members. Results indicated that the family ties were substantial. Approximately 67% of the addicts lived with a family member, including 26% who lived with a parent; half were born in the local area; 75% claimed to have close relationships with their mothers. Although the study has several limitations, the results imply that drug treatment programs might increase their effectiveness by using a family systems approach.
Ample evidence documents the tendency of research subjects to attribute to themselves socially desirable traits and to deny having socially undesirable qualities. This tendency is particularly marked among subjects who are defensive, lacking in self-esteem, or sensitive to status differences. Drug addicts often have all of these characteristics. This paper examines the extent to which need for social approval is reflected in methadone patients' and family members' self-reports of personal and family functioning. Results demonstrate the importance of taking the approval motive into account when conducting research with this population. Addicts tend to deny negative things about themselves and their families, while family members tend to exaggerate their own and their families' positive qualities. Implications for drug treatment programs and researchers are discussed.
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