”Det blir som att jobba med en liten satellit från resten av solsystemet” : En kvalitativ studie om nätverkets betydelse för ungdomar i substansbruksbehandling

• Main Authors: Hogevik, Elisabeth, Jacobsson, Johanna
• Format: Others
• Language: Swedish
• Published: Stockholms universitet, Institutionen för socialt arbete - Socialhögskolan 2017
• Subjects: Youths/adolescents; substance use treatment; social network; parents; friends; social capital; Ungdomar; substansbruksbehandling; socialt nätverk; föräldrar; vänner; socialt kapital; Social Work; Socialt arbete
• Online Access: http://urn.kb.se/resolve?urn=urn:nbn:se:su:diva-152612

The aim for this study was to examine how social workers perceive the social network’s function and involvement in an adolescent’s process toward changing a substance use. The study is based on seven qualitative interviews with social workers in Mini-Maria facilities, working with youths/adolescents in psychosocial substance use treatment. The interviews were analysed with a brief inspiration from the approach of thematic analysis. The ecological systems theory as well as a perspective on the theory of social capital were used for interpretation of the result. The overall conclusion is that adolescents’ networks have a large impact on their substance use treatment, both in terms of the outcome as well as the meaning to the adolescent itself. Parents of youths are frequently involved in the practical treatment, while friends rarely are, but they both form a central part regarding the process of change. The social capital is also of great importance since it is constructed within the different parts of the social network where the youth experiences support. Social capital can therefore be both constructive and destructive depending on the structure of those relationships.