Suchergebnisse

Italian experience with family therapy of drug addicts is based on research started in 1970. Italian data are comparable with experiences in other countries. Symptoms are considered relevant to the organization of a certain family system. Family therapy is widely used in the public and private health systems. More than 80% of the treatment centers use it, and there is continuous updating of professionals working in the field. Two main strategies are used: structural and counterparadoxical intervention. These therapeutic approaches are explained in light of a typology of drug addicts established from empirical research data, with a discussion of the evaluation of the results depending on the kind of psychopathology. Family therapy with couples is also discussed, and a typology of couples dealing with drug addiction problems is presented.

An overview of the state of the art of research on the treatment services of the therapeutic community for drug addicts in Europe is presented. This research tradition has largely been fragmented and local in its implementation. There has been a scientific gap concerning evaluation research and the treatment services offered by the therapeutic community. The American research antecedents to the European tradition are reviewed. The essential European groups, research designs and results are presented for each country with something greater than an ad hoc study experience. The strengths and weaknesses of the research designs, results and organizations are critically assessed. Recommendations for future research are presented and referenced to specific recommendations for therapeutic community research coming out of an American National Institute on Drug Abuse Technical Review. Among the conclusions of the overview is the need for more qualitative phenomenological research to complement the existing quantitative approach.