Adolescents' experiences and coping strategies with parental substance addiction within a rural farming community : a social work perspective

• Main Author: Marinus, Denise Ronelle
• Other Authors: Van der Westhuizen, Marichen Ann
• Format: Others
• Language: en
• Published: 2015
• Subjects: Addicted parents; Adolescence; Coping strategies; Experiences; Farming community; Parent; Rural community; Social work intervention; Social work perspective; Substance addiction; 362.7230968; Adolescence > South Africa; Substance abuse > South Africa > Social conditions; Youth > South Africa > Social conditions; Rural families > South Africa; Parent and child; Families > South Africa > Interpersonal relations; Teenagers > South Africa > Life skills guides
• Online Access: http://hdl.handle.net/10500/18806

The abuse of and addiction to substances by parents of adolescents, especially in rural areas, is recognised as a major national and international social concern. South African legislation and policy documents provide a framework that emphasises the need to protect and care for children of addicted parents. Literature and recent studies, however, do not focus on how adolescents in rural communities experience dealing with an addicted parent. For this reason, this research study explored and described the experiences and coping strategies of adolescents in rural communities regarding the parents’ addiction. The study was based on a qualitative research approach and made use of the contextual, explorative, descriptive and narrative research designs. The findings illustrate the descriptions of participants’ perceptions and experiences related to living in a farming community, the nature of parental substance addiction, how it affects them, how they deal with it and their perceptions of support needed by them. Recommendations in terms of the micro, mezzo and macro levels serves as guidelines for social workers to assist adolescents of substance-addicted parents with the needed support, protection and care. === Social Work === M.A. (Social Work)