Assessment Comments & Marking Page: BA (Hons) Top up
Counselling and Psychotherapy with Clients who Misuse Drugs and Alcohol
2000 Word Assignment
Student’s ID……1037893………………………... Tutor marking: ………………………
Assignment Title: Please describe what you consider to be the sociological, biological & psychological factors which may be involved in the development of dependency on drugs &/or alcohol? How would your understanding of these factors inform your work with clients? What ethical issues might arise?
Student’s Assessment Comment:
…I have given some clear examples of factors that may be involved in the development of dependency. I could have looked more at the relational difficulties people experience which can impact upon the development and maintenance of dependency.
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Signed: ………………………………………………………………..……………………….
Award up to:
Breakdown of Criteria
Student
Tutor 1
Tutor 2
20%
For overall understanding of the topic
15
15%
For understanding of the range of issues arising in working with clients with drug and alcohol issues
9
10%
For understanding of factors involved in the development of drug and alcohol misuse
7
20% for understanding of application of theory to practice in counselling clients with Drug and Alcohol issues
14
20%
For understanding of ethical concerns in relation to counselling people with drug and alcohol issues
12
10%
For understanding of personal learning and development from the module
5
5% for quality of presentation of the work including referencing
3
100% TOTALS >
65
Please describe what you consider to be the sociological, biological & psychological factors which may be involved in the development of dependency on drugs &/or alcohol? How would your understanding of these factors inform your work with clients? What ethical issues might arise?
Sociological factors
Sociological factors such as unemployment, homelessness, limited education and increased stressors of living in poverty have been associated with substance misuse and as possible factors in the development of dependency (Murali & Oyebode, 2004. Jenson, 2009). Individuals living in poverty may not be able to meet basic needs and are less likely to be able to access support services due to isolation and lack of social skills. The development of dependency here can be seen as originating out of a need to manage current situations and emotions.
Becker (1963) suggests that a society’s perception and treatment of people with drug or alcohol ‘addictions’ can increase the chance of them developing dependency issues. Individuals may be perceived as breaking the norms of a particular society or culture and branded unacceptable. As a result individuals may experience repeated negative responses and feedback from others and the creation of ‘societal conditions of worth’ (Wilders & Robinson, 2012). The views of others are internalised into the individuals self-concept (Rogers, 1959) resulting in a distancing from the organismic self., “…existential anxiety resurfaces and lowers self-esteem” (Mruk, 2013) and may further exasperate dependency. Rogers believed “When people feel unacceptable as they are, they are immobilized and unable to change” (Miller, & White, 2007).
Negative stereotypes, alongside the use of powerful labels such as ‘alcoholic’ can separate, isolate and push individuals deeper into isolation through social exclusion. Buchanan (2004) suggests dependency is as a socially constructed form of social control. Individuals may be treated merely
