Does it matter how we refer to individuals with substance-related conditions? A randomized study of two commonly used terms
Does it matter how we refer to individuals with substance-related conditions? A randomized study of two commonly used terms
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DOI：
10.1016/j.drugpo.2009.10.010
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发表时间：
2010-05-01
影响因子：
4.4
通讯作者：
Westerhoff, Cassandra M.
中科院分区：
文献类型：
--
作者：
Kelly, John F.;Westerhoff, Cassandra M.
目的：污名是许多物质相关疾病患者寻求帮助时经常遇到的障碍。描述有这种问题的个人的常见方式可能会延续或减少污名化的态度，但很少有研究为这场辩论提供信息。我们试图确定是否提到一个人作为“一个物质滥用者”与“有一个物质使用障碍”唤起不同的判断行为的自我调节，社会威胁，和治疗与punishment.Method：一个随机的，受试者之间，横断面设计。参与者被要求阅读一个包含两个术语之一的小插曲，并对他们与一些相关陈述的一致性进行评级。参加两次心理健康会议的临床医生（N = 516）（63%女性，81%白色，M年龄51岁; 65%医生级别）完成了研究（71%应答率）。Likert量表的三个分量表[“罪犯-惩罚”]（alpha =.80）;“社会威胁”（alpha = .86）;“受害者治疗”（alpha = .64）]评估了问题的感知原因，人物是否是社会威胁，是否能够调节物质使用，是否应该接受治疗与惩罚行动。结果：在社会威胁或受害者治疗分量表上，两组之间没有发现差异。然而，在犯罪者惩罚量表上发现了差异。那些在“物质使用障碍”的条件相比，那些在“物质滥用者”的条件同意更多的概念，性格是个人有罪的，惩罚措施应采取.Conclusions：即使在训练有素的心理健康专业人员，暴露于这两个常用的术语唤起系统不同的判断。通常使用的“药物滥用者”一词可能会使污名化的态度长期存在。(C)2009 Elsevier B. V.保留所有权利。
Objective: Stigma is a frequently cited barrier to help-seeking for many with substance-related conditions. Common ways of describing individuals with such problems may perpetuate or diminish stigmatizing attitudes yet little research exists to inform this debate. We sought to determine whether referring to an individual as "a substance abuser" vs. "having a substance use disorder" evokes different judgments about behavioral self-regulation, social threat, and treatment vs. punishment.Method: A randomized, between-subjects, cross-sectional design was utilized. Participants were asked to read a vignette containing one of the two terms and to rate their agreement with a number of related statements. Clinicians (N = 516) attending two mental health conferences (63% female, 81% white, M age 51; 65% doctoral-level) completed the study (71% response rate). A Likert-scaled questionnaire with three subscales ["perpetrator-punishment" (alpha =.80); "social threat" (alpha = .86); "victim-treatment" (alpha = .64)] assessed the perceived causes of the problem, whether the character was a social threat, able to regulate substance use, and should receive therapeutic vs. punitive action.Results: No differences were detected between groups on the social threat or victim-treatment subscales. However, a difference was detected on the perpetrator-punishment scale. Compared to those in the "substance use disorder" condition, those in the "substance abuser" condition agreed more with the notion that the character was personally culpable and that punitive measures should be taken.Conclusions: Even among highly trained mental health professionals, exposure to these two commonly used terms evokes systematically different judgments. The commonly used "substance abuser" term may perpetuate stigmatizing attitudes. (C) 2009 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.