Abstract

While previous drug treatment research has focused on the importance of supportive social relationships for recovery from alcohol and drugs, less is known about how this theme relates to compulsory drug treatment. This study analyzes how staff at four compulsory treatment institutions for adult drug users in Sweden rationalize the importance of maintaining contact with concerned significant others (CSOs) during the client’s treatment. Four focus groups (22 participants) were carried out and analyzed thematically. This study shows that staff perceives the client’s initial isolation as a necessity, primarily making CSOs a problem or distraction in relation to the recovery process. Moreover, staff position CSOs in two broad categories, as either ‘problematic’ or ‘resourceful’ in relation to a client’s recovery. The two categories are used to justify individual regulation between clients and their CSOs, which varies between strictness and leniency. In addition, staff position themselves as guides, finding it necessary to help clients regulate problematic CSOs themselves and strengthen the link to those who are seen as resources. These two forms of regulatory work – setting rules and providing guidance – are analyzed in terms of disciplinary and pastoral power.

摘要

虽然以前的药物治疗研究集中在支持性社会关系对从酒精和药物中恢复的重要性，但人们对这一主题与强制药物治疗的关系知之甚少。本研究分析了瑞典四家成人吸毒者强制治疗机构的工作人员如何合理化在客户治疗期间与相关重要他人 (CSO) 保持联系的重要性。开展了四个焦点小组（22 名参与者）并进行了主题分析。这项研究表明，工作人员认为客户最初的孤立是必要的，这主要使 CSO 成为与恢复过程相关的问题或分心。此外，工作人员将公民社会组织分为两大类，即与客户的康复有关的“有问题的”或“足智多谋的”。这两个类别用于证明客户与其 CSO 之间的个别监管的合理性，这在严格和宽大之间有所不同。此外，员工将自己定位为向导，发现有必要帮助客户自己监管有问题的公民社会组织，并加强与那些被视为资源的人的联系。这两种形式的监管工作——制定规则和提供指导——从纪律和教牧权力的角度进行分析。