ABSTRACT

This study shares the experiences of 16 family members who have lived with a close relative with substance use disorder (SUD). Primarily, the study asks, what are the experiences of family members living with an individual with SUD? In particular, what are their experiences of affection and emotional bonds? Moreover, it asks, what are the experiences of each family member regarding cohesion and communication? Qualitative methods were used, and 16 semi-structured interviews were conducted. The participants were organized into groups of four: four parents, four spouses, four adult children and four siblings of individuals affected by SUD. Each group comprised two men and two women. Overall, the participants felt that SUD had harmed their families’ emotional bonds. Parents and adult children reported greater affection toward their relatives with SUD (children and parents) than spouses and siblings did toward their relatives affected by SUD (spouses and siblings). These feelings were expressed in terms of positive emotions such as compassion and hope, whereas spouses and siblings expressed more negative feelings such as hopelessness or rage. From the analysis, a proposed dynamic functional model of emotional states in the study’s families was formed, showing the dynamics of feelings and emotional bonds between specific family members and the family member with SUD (This paper is a part of a larger research project).

摘要

本研究分享了 16 位与近亲患有物质使用障碍 (SUD) 的家庭成员的经历。该研究首先询问，与患有 SUD 的人一起生活的家庭成员的经历是什么？特别是，他们的感情和情感纽带的经历是什么？此外，它问，每个家庭成员在凝聚力和沟通方面的经验是什么？使用了定性方法，并进行了 16 次半结构化访谈。参与者被分为四人一组：四名父母、四名配偶、四名成年子女和四名受 SUD 影响的人的兄弟姐妹。每组由两男两女组成。总体而言，参与者认为 SUD 损害了他们家庭的情感纽带。父母和成年子女对患有 SUD 的亲属（子女和父母）的感情比配偶和兄弟姐妹对受 SUD 影响的亲属（配偶和兄弟姐妹）的感情更大。这些感觉以同情和希望等积极情绪的形式表达，而配偶和兄弟姐妹则表达了更多的消极情绪，例如绝望或愤怒。通过分析，形成了研究家庭情绪状态的动态功能模型，显示了特定家庭成员与患有 SUD 的家庭成员之间的情感和情感纽带的动态（本文是一个更大的研究项目的一部分）。这些感觉以同情和希望等积极情绪的形式表达，而配偶和兄弟姐妹则表达了更多的消极情绪，例如绝望或愤怒。通过分析，形成了研究家庭情绪状态的动态功能模型，显示了特定家庭成员与患有 SUD 的家庭成员之间的情感和情感纽带的动态（本文是一个更大的研究项目的一部分）。这些感觉以同情和希望等积极情绪的形式表达，而配偶和兄弟姐妹则表达了更多的消极情绪，例如绝望或愤怒。通过分析，形成了研究家庭情绪状态的动态功能模型，显示了特定家庭成员与患有 SUD 的家庭成员之间的情感和情感纽带的动态（本文是一个更大的研究项目的一部分）。