Enhancement of Quality of Life of Alcoholics and the Role of Peer Support

本研究首先探讨了质的研究在社会工作中的意义。定性研究的目的是建立模型或假设，或通过定性数据分析对现象进行深入描述。在定性研究的认识论中，“真理”不是永恒的，取决于社会文化或历史语境。研究人员参与了这些数据，而这些数据并不存在于他们之外。此外，定性研究将从社会工作者或其他类型的从业者那里获得新的视角。根据这样的方法论框架，我们对戒酒互助会(AA)的成员进行了访谈和定性分析，以考察他们是如何实施戒酒互助会的计划以帮助他们康复的。我们特别关注生活质量的精神层面。通过本研究，我们发现，在AA成员的恢复过程中，他们利用群体中的权力博弈和恢复程序，这种恢复过程是基于不可能是完美的和更高权力的概念。在戒酒协会中，会员可以通过接受人的有限和能力的限制来停止饮酒。通过更高的力量，这变得可能。更高的力量永远不会出现在自己身上。然而，尽管如此，更高的权力规范着成员的生活方式。AA会员根据这项研究的采访谈到“更高的力量是让我得以生存的东西。”因此，更高的力量只能用比喻来表达。通过对一位社工的访谈和定性分析，我们发现互助会中的同伴支持不仅有助于提高社员的生活质量，而且有助于专业人员的实践转变。

First, this research examined significance of qualitative study in social work. The aim of qualitative study is genesis of model or hypothesis, or thick description of phenomena through qualitative data analysis. The "truth" is not eternal depending on socio-cultural or historical context in qualitative inquiry's epistemology. Researchers are involved to the data, which does not exist outside them. Also, qualitative research will make new perspective from social workers or other kinds of practitioners. According to such a methodological framework, we applied interview and qualitative analysis with members from Alcoholics Anonymous (AA) to examine how they are practicing the programs of AA for their recovery. We focused on a spiritual aspect of quality of life especially. Through this research, we found the hypothesis that in recovering processes of AA members, they utilize power games in a group as well as the programs of recovery and such a recovering process is based on the "impossibility of being perfect" and the concept of the Higher Power. In AA, a member can do stop drinking by accepting man's finitude and the limit of capability. It becomes possible by the Higher Power. The Higher Power never appears in itself. However, nevertheless, the Higher Power regulates a member's way of life. AA member according to the interview of this research talked "The Higher Power is something that make me possible to live." Thus, the Higher Power can be expressed only with a metaphor. Through interview and qualitative analysis with a social worker, we examined that peer supports in AA help not only members' quality of life to be enhanced, but also helping professionals' practices to be transformed.