Coping with Behaviour-Attitude Dissonance: A Study Amongst Heroin Addicts in Karachi

Abstract

A study is reported based on semi-structured interviews with 35 male current or Cornier heroin addicts living in Karachi, Pakistan. Karachi saw a dramatic increase in heroin misuse in the 1980s and is an example of a major city in the developing world that is undergoing rapid social change. The study focuses upon how addicts deal eognitively with the dissonance created by their addiction-related behaviour. Responses to dissonance were coded into 16 categories which were further amalgamated into four principal groups: accepting, confessional, testimonial, defensive. Amongst other findings, support was found for the hypotheses that dissonance over religious observance would be responded to with acceptance, over physical well-being with testimony, and over respect for ciders and care for dependants with defensivencss. Being currently off heroin was related to accepting responses and being from a more traditional background was related to testimonial responses. Results are discussed in terms ofJungian response sub-types, attribution theory, and stages of change.

Key Words:

• Heroin
• Pakistan
• addiction
• coping
• dissonance