Young women’s recovery from problematic alcohol use: a critical realist reconceptualization

ABSTRACT

Interventions for problematic alcohol use typically focus on clients as individuals even when these clients continue interacting with their social networks. This paper reports a study about young women's help seeking for problematic alcohol use, examining Alcohol and other Drug outreach service staff perceptions of social network interactions among young women receiving support. We argue that critical realism enables analysis into underlying mechanisms influencing young women's recovery. Pierre Bourdieu's concepts within his theory of capital, and Margaret Archer's concept of conscious reflexivity, assisted in analysing social interactions which helped or hindered recovery. A causal mechanism of legitimacy was associated with social networks that hindered young women's recovery. A sociological approach to problematic alcohol use that combines support for individuals along with their social networks is necessary. More effective promotion of alcohol harms could aid conscious reflexivity, that may help change the habitus of excessive alcohol use.

KEYWORDS:

• AOD outreach services
• critical realism
• habitus
• conscious reflexivity
• social networks
• Australia

Disclosure statement

No potential conflict of interest was reported by the author(s).

Additional information

Funding

This study was supported by the Queensland University of Technology, Brisbane, Australia. There are no other funding bodies, grants or other institutional identifiers.

Notes on contributors

Ruth Elizabeth Edwards

Ruth Elizebeth Edwards, Ph.D., is a qualitative researcher at the School of Public Health and Social Work, Queensland University of Technology, Brisbane, Queensland, Australia. Her research interest focuses on young women, alcohol abuse and associated social problems, as well as an interest in disability research.

Judith Burton

Judith Burton, Ph.D., is a Senior Lecturer and Director of Academic Programmes at the School of Public Health and Social Work, Queensland University of Technology, Brisbane, Queensland, Australia. Judith’s focus is on qualitative research around topics such as children, families and the evaluation of practice in human services.