THE SOCIAL CONSTRUCTION OF CO-DEPENDENCY IN THE TREATMENT OF SUBSTANCE ABUSE

Co-dependency has become an important concept in the treatment of subs tance abuse, yet there is still disagreement about what it means. The meaning of co-dependency is important because it shapes public percept ions of helping behavior and affects the treatment that persons with a ddictions receive. However, some observers have criticized co-dependen cy, arguing that the concept is gender biased, denigrates women, and b lames innocent victims of substance abuse. This investigation examined the social construction of co-dependency in the treatment of substanc e abuse by asking substance-abuse counselors three questions: (a) what do they mean by co-dependency, (b) to what extent does co-dependency mean women, and (c) to what extent do they agree. The findings suggest that co-dependency is a reliable social construction that substance-a buse counselors use to describe persons of both genders. (C) 1997 Else vier Science Inc.