Psychosocial characteristics of the drug addicts receiving social services

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Vol. 34 Iss. 2 pp. 23–30 | St. Petersburg State Institute of Psychology and Social Work | ISSN: 1993-8101
2020 • Issue 2 • Volume 34Research in applied psychology

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Abstract

The research focuses on the study of psychosocial characteristics of social services recipients who use psychoactive substances. A comparative study of men and women undergoing re-socialization in social services institutions has been conducted. It was found that women who use psychoactive substances in a difficult life situation are a more vulnerable group than men, both in terms of the development of addiction and the risk of reducing social functioning. The sphere of labor relations is a particularly problematic area. Men who use psychoactive substances in difficult life situations more often become dependent under the influence of a group and more often than women have problems in the sphere of family relations and do not care about their children and parents. The identified differences can be taken into account when developing and implementing an individual plan for social and psychological support. The clients of two Institutions of Social Services took part in the study: Saint-Petersburg Budget Institution “The Complex Center of Social Services (CCSS) for the population of Krasnoselskiy district” (the Department of assistance to women who find themselves in a difficult life situation, and people who are on the drug treatment register) and Saint-Petersburg State Public Institution “The Center of Accounting and Social Services for citizens of Russian Federation without a specific place of residence”(the Department of social adaptation of people released from prison). The study sample consisted of 42 people, including 14 female – clients from The Complex Center of Social Services (aged from 25 to 40, average age – 36) and male recipients of social services in the Accounting Center (aged from 33 to 58, average age – 47). The study was conducted from March to August 2020.

Keywords

psychoactive substance abuse, difficult life situation, resocialization, readaptation, psychosocial characteristics, social services recipient

Citation

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References

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