Revista de conductas adictivas y terapia Acceso abierto

Abstracto

Family and Psychosocial Developmental Features of Drug Dependent Women and a Specific Needs for Treatment and Social Reintegration

Jadranka Ivandić Zimić

Insofar, female addiction onset has been only poorly explored, although a number of experts see the nature of female addiction as distinctive and therefore mandating entirely different treatment approaches. Within this communication, the results of two studies conducted in Croatia will be presented with the aim of identifying needs
in the area of prevention and treatment of women addicts.
The first study was carried out in 2008 and 2009, involving 143 drug addicts, of whom 92 men and 51 women aged 18 to 46 years, mostly 23 to 28 years of age (mean age M=28.18 SD=5.070) which at the time of the examination were in some form of residential treatment in a hospital or a therapeutic community. The results revealed several differences between male and female addicts relative of their familial socio-demographic and interaction, as well as psychosocial developmental features.
Second study was carried out within the Scientific Research Project of Resocialization Project Evaluation with the aim of define the positive and negative aspects of the Resocialization Project as well as its modification and improvement. The on-line questionnaire and focus group results from the perspective women addicts who are the Project beneficiary.
Based on the foregoing, it can be concluded that familial risk factors are more often encountered across female addicts, whose addiction onset and history takes a different course as compared to male addiction. Also, in the treatment and resocialization of women addicts, the most important place should be taken the family approach and family therapy.