Male partners of substance-abusing women in treatment: An exploratory study

Despite evidence for the importance of significant others in the recovery p rocess, little is known about male partners of female substance abusers. Th is paper presents a qualitative exploratory study conducted Co learn more a bout male partners of crack/cocaine-addicted women and specifically examine s the men's influence on the treatment and recovery process of their female partners. Subjects were found to have an extensive history of substance ab use and some experience with treatment; three-quarters were active crack/co caine users. Although their attitude toward women's substance abuse was neg ative and their opinion of treatment for women positive, men's behavioral s upport for their partners was usually passive and inconsistent. Reasons are discussed why male partners of female drug users in treatment generally we re resistant to active participation in family-oriented treatment: the men' s active drug use, their desire to maintain the status quo in the relations hip, possible focus on their own recovery, divergent views about treatment goals, and the desire to minimize stigma by association.