Experiences Of Aftercare Research Articles

A Concurrent Analysis of Drug Relapse Risk, Drug Avoidance Self-Efficacy, and Aftercare Experiences among Aftercare Program Clients

The cases of drug use and abuse have predominantly increased globally. This issue has become the most significant challenge among mental health professionals, the national government, and the general population. With the absence of substantial research about drug relapse and avoidance in the Philippines, this mixed-method research seeks to find out the relationship between drug relapse risk and drug avoidance self-efficacy among substance users who participated in the aftercare program. This study employed a concurrent mixed method design, combining both quantitative and qualitative approaches. In the quantitative phase, the Advance Warning of Relapse (AWARE) Questionnaire and Drug Avoidance Self-Efficacy Scale (DASES) were administered to 66 participants from the Aftercare Program (ACP) at the Department of Health Treatment and Rehabilitation Center in Eastern Visayas. The aim was to establish a correlation between the risk of drug relapse and drug avoidance self-efficacy. In the qualitative phase, interviews were conducted with five participants who met the study's inclusion criteria. Purposive sampling was used to select these participants. Quantitative findings revealed that ACP clients had low drug relapse risk and high drug avoidance self-efficacy. Moreover, Pearson product-moment correlation shows an inverse relationship between lower drug relapse risk and high drug avoidance self-efficacy, and vice-versa. However, the correlation between these variables is weak, indicating that drug avoidance self-efficacy is not a strong predictor of relapse risk in aftercare program clients. Similarly, qualitative results exposed the client’s experiences in the After Care Program. Six themes emerge from their experiences, such as their various reasons for taking the drugs, the effects of substance use, their effective coping mechanisms, the treatment of their communities, their accomplishment of recovery goals, and overcoming challenges in their recovery. The study suggests that individuals who participate in the aftercare programs are trying their best to recover and increase their self-efficacy to avoid using drugs. This strong self-efficacy, in combination with various factors such as family support, the acceptance of the community, and continued reminders of the consequences of substance abuse, decreased their vulnerability to use drugs in high-risk situations. The findings will increase the awareness of Filipinos in the prevention and treatment of substance use among their loved ones, relatives, and friends. Likewise, the findings recommend improving the aftercare program to increase its effectiveness and efficiency in preventing relapse among individuals in recovery.

Aftercare for Survivors of Human Trafficking: A Case Study on Optimal Approach to Recovery and Integration

Human trafficking is a modern-day slavery that mostly disproportionate women in the society. This study aimed to fill the knowledge gaps regarding the aftercare experiences of human trafficking survivors as they navigated their recovery and reintegration into society, with a specific focus on the Philippines. The research investigated the effectiveness of aftercare interventions provided by agency, highlighting the importance of comprehensive and customized support systems. It drew on Empowerment Theory and Ecological Systems Theory to inform its analysis. The study utilized a qualitative intrinsic case study design, employing purposeful sampling to gather insights from social worker, psychologist, house parents, survivors and other professional involved in aftercare. Collecting data using typically involved conducting in-depth interviews, engaging with key informants, and facilitating focus group discussions. Emerging themes were analyzed using Braun and Clarke’s method of thematic analysis. The study uncovered two main themes: "Grappling with Adversities" and "Socio-emotional Transformation." It provided insight into the challenges and situations experienced by survivors, as well as the influence of support systems, healing processes, and personal development initiatives on their recovery. The research highlighted the significance of education, development of independent living skills, and provision of emotional support in empowering survivors. Suggested measures involved the establishment of thorough post-treatment support initiatives, public initiatives to raise awareness within the community, and ongoing professional training for workers. This study added to our knowledge of survivor empowerment within the realm of human trafficking and emphasized the importance of continued research and evaluation of aftercare programs.

‘My disability was my own responsibility’: An institutional ethnography of the transitional experiences of disabled young people leaving care

Across child welfare and disability policy, the intersectionality of being a young person with experiences with both child welfare and disability services is not well addressed. In line with this, a growing body of international evidence shows a gap in the level of transitional and post-care support provided to meet the needs of this group of young people leaving care. The present article draws on data from a qualitative interview study with eight disabled young people leaving care in Norway. However, rather than giving an account of their individual experiences of aftercare, it uses these experiences as a starting point to a broader investigation of how the institutional setting of aftercare shapes these experiences. The study is inspired by institutional ethnography (IE), a method of inquiry developed by Canadian sociologist Dorothy E. Smith, which attempts to describe the interface between individual experiences and institutional relations. Our findings showed that the study participants experienced insufficient support from child welfare services related to their disability during the transition to adulthood. The institutional forces behind these findings are explored and discussed.

Exploring Aftercare Experiences and Well-Being after Completion of a Young Adult Addiction Treatment Program

ABSTRACT Adventure therapy (AT) interventions are being integrated with evidence-based treatment models for a variety of clients, including adolescents and young adults, for a wide range of presenting symptomology, including substance use disorders (SUD). Though some studies have explored longer term outcomes, little is known about the posttreatment experiences of clients. Clients from a 90-day AT treatment program were contacted approximately posttreatment and asked to assess their general well-being and current relationship with substance use. Results showed that clients were doing well evidenced by OQ-45 scores that were statistically similar at the discharge and follow-up period (t (92) = −1.693, p < .09; Cohen’s d = −.180). Clients also showed statistically significant increases in mindfulness skills. Results also showed that 70.8% of the participants indicated that they did relapse, while 29.2% indicated they did not. Of those that relapsed, 73.8% indicated the relapse was “severe,” while 26.3% believed their relapse was “not severe.” Clients reflected favorably on their treatment experience and desired more structured aftercare opportunities posttreatment. Implications for professional practice and research include the need to advance perspectives of recovery and develop aftercare support systems that can aid clients in the recovery process.

Aftercare Needs Following Gender-Affirming Surgeries: Findings From the ENIGI Multicenter European Follow-Up Study

While much emphasis has been put on the evaluation of gender-affirming surgery (GAS) approaches and their effectiveness, little is known about the health care needs after completion of these interventions. To assess post-GAS aftercare needs using a mixed-method approach and relate these to participant characteristics. As part of the ENIGI follow-up study, data was collected 5 years after first contact for gender-affirming treatments in 3 large European clinics. For the current analyses, only participants that had received GAS were included. Data on sociodemographic and clinical characteristics was collected. Standard aftercare protocols were followed. The study focused on participants' aftercare experiences. Participants rated whether they (had) experienced (predefined) aftercare needs and further elaborated in 2 open-ended questions. Frequencies of aftercare needs were analyzed and associated with participant characteristics via binary logistic regression. Answers to the open-ended questions were categorized through thematic analysis. Aftercare needs transgender individuals (had) experienced after receiving GAS and the relation to sociodemographic and clinical characteristics. Of the 543 individuals that were invited for the ENIGI follow-up study, a total of 260 individuals were included (122 (trans) masculine, 119 (trans) feminine, 16 other, 3 missing). The most frequently mentioned aftercare need was (additional) assistance in surgical recovery (47%), followed by consultations with a mental health professional (36%) and physiotherapy for the pelvic floor (20%). The need for assistance in surgical recovery was associated with more psychological symptoms (OR=1.65), having undergone genital surgery (OR=2.55) and lower surgical satisfaction (OR=0.61). The need for consultation with a mental health professional was associated with more psychological symptoms and lower surgical satisfaction. The need for pelvic floor therapy was associated with more psychological symptoms as well as with having undergone genital surgery. Thematic analysis revealed 4 domains regarding aftercare optimization: provision of care, additional mental health care, improvement of organization of care and surgical technical care. Deeper understanding of post-GAS aftercare needs and associated individual characteristics informs health care providers which gaps are experienced and therefore should be addressed in aftercare. We provided first evidence on aftercare needs of transgender individuals after receiving GAS and associated these with participant characteristics in a large multicenter clinical cohort. No standardized data on aftercare received was collected, therefore the expressed aftercare needs cannot be compared with received aftercare. These results underline a widely experienced desire for aftercare and specify the personalized needs it should entail.

Crossing Countries and Crossing Ages: The Difficult Transition to Adulthood of Unaccompanied Migrant Care Leavers.

The social changes experienced in many countries have prolonged the transition to adult life for young people. That being said, those who leave child care cannot afford this privilege, in that they do not benefit from the same support and resources, having to confront an accelerated transition which exposes them to increased risk of negative outcomes and social exclusion. Moreover, this transition might be even riskier for unaccompanied migrant care leavers, who are four times as vulnerable, given their status as young people in care, as adolescents, as migrants and being unaccompanied. This paper seeks to explore the profiles, needs, and experiences of unaccompanied young migrants in comparison with other care leavers. Data were collected by means of a semi-structured interview to explore their pre-care, in-care, and aftercare experiences. A highly specific profile of unaccompanied young migrants has been revealed that differs from the other care leavers in terms of worse educational, occupational, and economic outcomes, limited support networks, and more obstacles to accessing aftercare supports. Conversely, they also exhibited some strengths, such as having less pre-care, in care, and aftercare traumatic experiences, less psychological distress and fewer risky behaviors compared with other care leavers.

Female Care-Leavers’ Experiences of Aftercare in Ethiopia

The phenomenon of care-leavers’ experience of aftercare in Ethiopia has not yet been recognized. A qualitative research design was used to uncover female care-leavers’ experience of aftercare in 2017. Participants in the study were recruited via a snowball sampling technique, and data were collected through in-depth interviews and a review of documents. The generated data were analyzed using thematic analysis. The study found that participants are faced with different adversities, such as job searching, homelessness, the inability to pay housing rent, being betrayed, and not reconnecting with living biological family members. Female care-leavers have expected to receive support from the institution to cope with aftercare challenges. However, their aftercare experience is characterized by negative outcomes, which implies that they need continued aftercare support until they can find their feet. Female care-leavers view aftercare support as strengthening them in their attempt to navigate the adult world on their own. Such support offers them the opportunity to find attractive jobs and so save them from having to emigrate. This article sheds light on the issue of aftercare support for female emerging adults who are transitioning from care to adulthood in Ethiopia.

Experiences of Young People Early in the Transition From Residential Care in Lagos State, Nigeria

This article examines the aftercare experiences of young people who have recently left a residential care institution in Lagos State, Nigeria. The study adopted a phenomenological qualitative research design with 20 care leavers, and data collected were analyzed using Attride-Stirling’s thematic networks analytical tool. The young care leavers’ aftercare experiences were marked by many challenges with employment, finances, living and surviving alone, accommodation, and social integration. These challenges were due to inadequate preparation for independent living, as well as their orphan and care backgrounds. However, care leavers were filled with resilient optimism, in terms of personal and social factors. Personal factors related to hope of a brighter future, persistence, fear of failing, and engagement in menial jobs and savings, while social factors included formal and informal support systems care leavers mobilized for improved transitional outcomes. Recommendations for policy, research, and practice are made in light of these findings.

Introduction to the special issue: Outcomes of children raised in out-of-home care

The aim of this special issue is to examine the outcomes of children who were raised for part of their childhood in out-of-home care, including in foster care and institutions. There is a growing body of literature examining the transition to adulthood for young people leaving care. While these studies generally show that youths raised in care are at risk of experiencing adverse outcomes in adulthood, the amount of literature is still small. This special issue was initiated to bring together studies on the aftercare experiences of women and men, from a variety of disciplines, covering different countries and historical periods.

Ex‐hospital clients evaluate their aftercare experiences

Seventy-two previously hospitalized clients of an inner-city community clinic, assigned to three treatment groups - medication-only, medication plus individual therapy, and medication plus therapy plus group experiences - evaluated their respective aftercare programs by responding to five questions. As compared with the others, medication-only clients were less inclined to see either the clinic or the medication as preventing rehospitalization, were alone in reporting that the clinic was responsible for preventing rehospitalization to the extent that the medication was effective, and responded to the question of rehospitalization by emphasizing worsening symptoms. Others emphasized therapy failure. Clients agreed with the professionals - aftercare should not be medication alone.

Experiences of Aftercare for Expatients of Pulmonary Tuberculosis During Ten Years in Ibaragi Prefectual Aftercare Facilities

Experiences of Aftercare for Expatients of Pulmonary Tuberculosis During Ten Years in Ibaragi Prefectual Aftercare Facilities