A study of barriers to the engagement of significant others in adult addiction treatment

Using the focus group methodology, this study identified personal and struc tural barriers to the engagement of significant others in an outpatient add ictions treatment program. Twenty-eight significant others (family members, other kin, and friends) associated with 21 patients participated in one of three focus group sessions; The cut-and-paste technique was used to analyz e the narrative data. Improving communication and reconnecting patients wit h a supportive community were forms of support identified. Patients' willin gness to accept support and therapists' invitation to involve significant o thers in the treatment were identified as necessary precursors to their ini tial involvement. Providing educational and therapeutic support to signific ant others were endorsed as important elements in maintaining their involve ment. Offering a diversity of therapeutic services beyond standard office h ours, providing home visits and child care were viewed as facilitators for their involvement. It became apparent that support providers tended to rese nt having their own needs ignored. Feelings of isolation, fatalism, lonelin ess, ignorance, and fear were expressed by significant others. Theoretical and practical implications of the findings are discussed. (C) 2000 Elsevier Science Inc. All rights reserved.