Stigma Communication Surrounding Nonmedical Opioid Use Among Affected Family Members

Pasman, Emily; O'Shay, Sydney; Hicks, Danielle; Resko, Stella M.; Agius, Elizabeth; Brown, Suzanne

doi:10.1080/10410236.2023.2167588

Cited by 7 publications

(2 citation statements)

References 37 publications

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“…Upon approval from the Wayne State University institutional review board, we recruited AFMs from a pool of participants that took part in a previous study (Pasman, et al, 2023). In the original study, AFMs were recruited through publicly funded treatment providers, support groups for family members, and our university’s social media platform.…”

Section: Methodsmentioning

confidence: 99%

“…Family members, like people engaged in NMOU, are affected by stigma toward NMOU via courtesy stigma (Goffman, 2009), or stigma by association. Family members are often blamed for both the onset and resolution of their loved one’s substance use problem (Corrigan et al, 2006; Pasman et al, 2023). Public stigma translates to feelings of embarrassment and shame among AFMs (McCann & Lubman, 2018; O’Shay et al, 2023; O’Shay-Wallace, 2020) and culminates in a host of poor outcomes.…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

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How affected family members communicate about their loved one’s non-medical opioid use

Brown,

O’Shay,

Pasman

et al. 2023

Journal of Social and Personal Relationships

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Family members of people who misuse opioids frequently experience stigma due to their association with non-medical opioid use (NMOU). Stigma may affect how family members communicate about NMOU and seek social support. Guided by communication privacy management theory, this study sought to understand how affected family members (AFMs) communicate about NMOU within and outside of the immediate family. In-depth interviews were conducted with 34 adults with an immediate relative with NMOU. Qualitative analyses utilized a common iterative approach. Findings identified complex dialectical tensions that families traverse in both wanting to conceal stigmatizing information while simultaneously wanting to disclose information to engage support for themselves during stressful experiences. Strategies to resolve this tension included focusing on the good, functional updates, and moving from closed to open communication boundaries. Treatment for individuals with NMOU should engage families and assist with the resolution of communication privacy management tensions.

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Section: Methodsmentioning

confidence: 99%