The social construction of co-dependency in the treatment of substance abuse.
Co-dependency has become an important concept in the treatment of substance abuse, yet there is still disagreement about what it means. The meaning of co-dependency is important because it shapes public perceptions of helping behavior and affects the treatment that persons with addictions receive. However, some observers have criticized co-dependency, arguing that the concept is gender-biased, denigrates women, and blames innocent victims of substance abuse. This investigation examined the social construction of co-dependency in the treatment of substance abuse by asking substance-abuse counselors three questions: (a) what do they mean by co-dependency, (b) to what extent does co-dependency mean women, and (c) to what extent do they agree. The findings suggest that co-dependency is a reliable social construction that substance-abuse counselors use to describe persons of both genders.
Harkness
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D
Boise State University School of Social Work, ID 83725, USA. Dharkne@bsu.idbsu.edu
Cotrell
G
G
D001291:Attitude of Health Personnel; D017004:Codependency, Psychological; D003376:Counseling; D005260:Female; D019513:Feminism; D006801:Humans; D008960:Models, Psychological; D011287:Prejudice; D011593:Psychology, Social; D012938:Social Perception; D013240:Stereotyping; D016320:Substance Abuse Treatment Centers; D019966:Substance-Related Disorders / Q000523:psychology / Q000534:rehabilitation*; D009626:Terminology as Topic; D014930:Women