The nature of and responsibility for alcohol and drug problems: views among treatment staff

Abstract

The aim of this paper is to show how staff in the Stockholm County treatment system view the responsibility of the individual in connection to alcohol and drug dependency and the nature of alcohol and drug problems, shown in a self-administered questionnaire. The empirical data is analysed with the help of the theoretical model developed by Brickman et al. (1982) and the analysis is also a test of this theoretical model.The results show that staff view the clients as partially responsible for becoming alcohol or drug dependent and fully responsible for resolving the problem – a somewhat moral view. Staff also comply with the disease concept and the idea of alcohol and drug problems as mainly social problems. They do not agree to the same extent to their clients being weak-willed. Support can be found both for a moral, medical and social view among staff.