Blyth Sophia H, Cowie Kiefer, Jurinsky Jordan, Hennessy Emily A
Harvard College, Cambridge, MA 02138, USA.
The Wright Institute Clinical Psychology Program, Berkeley, CA 94704, USA.
Addict Behav Rep. 2023 Jun 19;18:100505. doi: 10.1016/j.abrep.2023.100505. eCollection 2023 Dec.
Alcohol and other drug (AOD) use disorders are stigmatized conditions, but little is known about youth's experience of this stigma, which may threaten their developing social identity and recovery process. This study investigates youth's perceptions of AOD use-related stigma in the context of their social identity.
This study uses data from 12 youth (ages 17-19) who were in recovery from problematic AOD use. Participants completed a Social Identity Mapping in Addiction Recovery (SIM-AR) exercise, in which they created a visual map of their social groups, and semi-structured interview, in which participants were asked about their experience creating their SIM-AR and reflections on their social network. SIM-AR data were descriptively analyzed, and interviews were thematically analyzed for instances of stigma.
Using stigmatizing terminology, participants expressed some stigmatizing attitudes towards themselves and others in their network who used substances and perceived both positive and negative reactions from those who knew about their disorder. Findings suggest that youth may experience some internalized stigma and perceive stigma from others in their social networks, which may be a barrier to the development of a healthy social identity and engagement in recovery supports.
These findings should be considered when seeking to engage youth in treatment and recovery programming. Despite the small sample, the findings suggest the importance of considering how stigma may influence adolescents' treatment and recovery experience in the context of their social environment.
酒精和其他药物（AOD）使用障碍是受到污名化的状况，但对于青少年对这种污名的体验却知之甚少，而这种污名可能会威胁到他们正在发展的社会身份和康复进程。本研究调查了青少年在其社会身份背景下对与AOD使用相关污名的认知。
本研究使用了12名（年龄在17 - 19岁之间）从有问题的AOD使用中康复的青少年的数据。参与者完成了一项成瘾康复中的社会身份映射（SIM - AR）练习，即创建他们社会群体的可视化地图，以及半结构化访谈，访谈中询问参与者创建SIM - AR的经历以及他们对社交网络的思考。对SIM - AR数据进行描述性分析，对访谈进行主题分析以找出污名的实例。
参与者使用污名化术语表达了对自己以及社交网络中其他使用物质的人的一些污名化态度，并察觉到知晓其障碍的人有积极和消极的反应。研究结果表明，青少年可能会经历一些内化的污名，并察觉到社交网络中他人的污名，这可能是健康社会身份发展以及参与康复支持的障碍。
在寻求让青少年参与治疗和康复项目时应考虑这些研究结果。尽管样本量小，但研究结果表明在青少年的社会环境背景下考虑污名如何影响其治疗和康复体验的重要性。
