Playing the Second Fiddle - The Experiences, Challenges and Coping Strategies of Concerned Significant Others of Partners With a Substance Use Disorder: Informing Social Work Interventions

The Perceptions and Experiences of Families Dealing With Substance Use Disorders: Implications for Holistic Employee Wellness Programmes

“…The value of employing the bio-ecological systems theory to examine SUDs and the consequences for individual substance abusers and their immediate families and CSOs is well documented (Rich, 2017;Schultz & Alpaslan, 2020). Schultz and Alpaslan (2020: 432) argue that a holistic framework able to capture "the experiences, challenges and coping strategies of CSOs living with partners with SUD" clearly shows how multiple factors and systems are involved, including "the extended family system, the neighbourhood, and other critical social systems".…”

“…There is a growing body of literature that has highlighted how therapeutic interventions and support associated with SUDs tend to focus primarily on the substance abuser or the recovering addict (Hudson, Kirby, Clements, Benishek & Nick, 2014). The needs of the family or CSO are thus frequently neglected (Schultz & Alpaslan, 2020). This is a view supported by Copello et al (2005), who assert that little attention is given to families in national and international alcohol-related policies.…”

“…The bio-ecological systems theory is also able to compellingly show how substance addiction affects not only the addict but those around them such as CSOs as well as indicate the continued influence on other microsystems and meso levels. Schultz and Alpaslan (2020) argue that through the exploration of the experiences, challenges and coping strategies adopted by CSOs living with partners with SUDs, attention can be drawn to the multisystem involvement of the extended family system, the neighbourhood and other critical social systems. Also displayed are the interventions required to facilitate the enhancement of the social functioning of CSOs and their partners or family members with SUDs (Schultz and Alpaslan, 2020).…”

“…Schultz and Alpaslan (2020) argue that through the exploration of the experiences, challenges and coping strategies adopted by CSOs living with partners with SUDs, attention can be drawn to the multisystem involvement of the extended family system, the neighbourhood and other critical social systems. Also displayed are the interventions required to facilitate the enhancement of the social functioning of CSOs and their partners or family members with SUDs (Schultz and Alpaslan, 2020). Lander, Howsare and Byrne (2013) argue that the effects of SUDs are felt by the whole family.…”

A cross-sectional study of Malaysian low-income drug addict wives: Relationship between family impact, coping and mental wellbeing

“…[4][5][6][7] For the wives of drug addicts, mental health is a major issue. [8][9][10][11][12][13][14][15][16] Wives of drug addicts also often have problems with their social networks, like not being able to get help from others and not being able to keep in touch with family and friends, 10,13,[16][17][18] experiencing violence and persecution, 10,12,17,[19][20][21] experiencing issues related to marital conflict 8, 10,18,22 and experiencing economic strain. 12,[14][15][16][17][22][23][24][25] It is predicted that the wives of drug users will have a negative impact on their overall wellbeing as a result of having to deal with a large number of negative situations.…”