Journal of Social Work Practice in The Addictions 

Abstract: This study investigated distinct emotions in a sample of men (n = 103) seeking help for hypersexual behavior compared to a control group of college students (n = 100) using the Hypersexual Behavior Inventory and the Differential Emotions Scale. Significant differences between groups emerged on several domains of emotion and hypersexual behavior. Self-hostility was the most significant predictor of hypersexual behavior. These findings suggest that self-critical affect, such as shame, might exert an influence in precipitating or perpetuating hypersexual behavior.

Abstract: Whereas research has addressed the impact of mental illness stigma on treatment-seeking attitudes and behaviors, the effects of other stigmas such as age, race, drug addiction, and poverty have received far less attention. In addition, research has not sufficiently addressed the potential additive effect of stigma on individuals who are experiencing multiple stigmas simultaneously. In an attempt to explore the impact of experiencing multiple stigmas, this qualitative study examined the existence and experiences of stigma in a sample of older adult methadone maintenance clients. Semistructured interviews with 24 older adults in a methadone program were conducted and analyzed using an inductive content analysis approach. Results reveal 8 distinct stigmas experienced by this sample. Additionally, respondents who reported more stigmas were more likely to identify stigma as a barrier to substance abuse and mental health treatment. These findings reinforce the importance of recognizing the ways in whic...

Abstract: This paper calls for researchers and treatment providers to increase their recognition of the role that family and family functioning has for understanding the incidence and impact of substance abuse. Substance abuse is identified as a family problem by exploring its occurrence within families as well as its impact on marital relationship, family violence, and child abuse and neglect. The impact of substance abuse on the roles of spouses and parents are examined, as is the impact of substance abuse on children at various developmental stages. The role of the family as participant in active substance abuse as well as a valuable treatment resource is also explored. Finally, the authors present recommendations for increasing the focus on family in substance abuse research.

Abstract: The literature on cessation of drug and alcohol dependency without benefit of treatment or participation in self-help groups spans nearly forty years. While this literature is substantial and analyses of the processes of natural recovery well-developed, discussions directed at treatment providers around the value of these analyses for practice has been sparse. Drawing on our study as well as the research of others, this paper explores two dimensions of natural recovery that hold important implications for treatment providers who work with substance dependent clients. These include the common strategies used by remitters and the concept of recovery capital as a way to capture the embeddedness of these natural recovery strategies within a unique structural context of personal attributes and social environments.

Abstract: SUMMARY This study examined whether language preference, as an indicator of acculturation, moderated the effects of a culturally grounded substance use prevention intervention for Mexican and Mexican American middle school students (N = 2,146) in Phoenix, Arizona. The main hypothesis was that levels of program effectiveness would vary based on the language preference of the students and the specific culturally grounded version of the intervention they were assigned. Findings show that matching language preference to particular versions of the intervention did not influence substance use related program outcomes, but that overall program effects (intervention versus control) did vary by language preference. English-language dominant participants, the most at risk sub-group, responded more positively to the intervention, while Spanish dominant, who had low substance use rates at baseline, and bilingual participants did not demonstrate significant differences between the intervention and control groups. Impl...