Single Parent Family Structure

The article, Family Structure and Adolescent Drug Use Exploration of Single-Parent Families (2009) written by, Hemovich and Crano look at the relation between drugs and families. As suggested by the article “early-onset cigarette and alcohol use among adolescents strongly predicts later marijuana use” (p.2100). It is important to note that the article also suggests that although there is less and less found usage of drugs use, adolescents continue to use and abuse substances. Family structure as well as “ethnicity political affiliation, socioeconomic status and other cultural variables” (p.2100) affect the likelihood of drug use.

In the article, “Risk Factors for Drug Use among Adolescents: Concurrent and Longitudinal Analyses” (1986) by Newcomb, Maddahian and Bentler, the authors suggest by looking at factors between students and drug use over time can ultimately show the development from less intensive drugs into the use of harsher drugs as well as the higher likelihood of addiction. The article suggests that “many teenagers have experimented at some point with various drugs, problems begin to arise when this experimental use becomes regular use or abuse” (p.525). It is suggested
from the article that there are a wide range of aspects which affect individuals to use substances. The authors separated there finds from research into different substance categories, “average and heavy” frequencies of drug use.

“The Family and Addiction: An introduction” (1989) written by Robert Lewis argues that family members who suffer from addiction often are products from non-functional families. The author suggests that “not only so dysfunctional families often produce addictive behaviours in their member but these addictions, in turn, then may affect the quality of family life” (254). In addition, the author throughout the article suggests that “family based addiction interventions” (p.255) and “community events” (p.256) can be beneficial to families and individuals suffering from addictions.

Straussner, the writer of, “The Role of Social Workers in the Treatment of Addictions: A Brief History” (2001) describes the involvement of socials workers in the treatment of those who suffer from addictions.
As stated by the author, “social works continu[e] to play an important role in the treatment” of those who suffer from addiction (p.5). In addition, it is suggested that the role of a social worker is to provide a sort of therapy treatment for addicts in “therapeutic communities and recovery homes” (p.7). Social works ultimately prove to be a rock for those individuals who are the result of a broken home due to addictions. Straussner, mentions that social workers provide “innovative brief treatment to numerous individuals with substance abuse problems and their families
(p.7).