Psychosocial Aspects of Substance Abuse/Dependence Treatments
Alcohol
Cassidy is a 40-year-old female who is seeing you today for advice around alcohol consumption following encouragement by friends. Cassidy is currently separated from her husband and they have two children aged 8 and 10. She is working part time as an Assistant in Nursing and enjoys her job. With the exception of staying at home when the children were younger, she has always maintained employment. Cassidy has limited family support as she has one brother and both her parents are ageing and unable to help look after the children. Her family members are reported to be social drinkers, though her maternal grandfather was described as a ‘heavy drinker’.
Cassidy started drinking alcohol socially from the age of 16, with regular drinking (mainly on weekends) occurring 7 years ago, 12 months after the birth of her last child. For the past year, she has been drinking between 2 to 3 litres of wine across the week, with her alcohol consumption being heavier on the weekends and non-work days. On these days, her drinking is beginning to start around lunch time, stops when the school day ends and recommences when she is cooking tea. On work days, Cassidy begins drinking whilst cooking tea. On all nights, her drinking session usually does not end until she goes to bed. During your assessment, you note that Cassidy is concerned about: starting to be ‘snappy’ with the children; not being the mother she used to be; wanting to drink more; and finding it difficult to get up in the morning.
Psychosocial Aspects of Substance Use/Dependence Treatments
Mark: 40
In six (6) pages please address this part of the essay with the following psychosocial treatment points of consideration for your chosen case scenario (that is, you must relate the diagnosis and treatment to the patient in the vignette):
• What social factors contribute to the maintenance of the substance using behaviours for your (vignette) patient?
• Any special considerations for your (vignette) patient (for example age/gender/culture)
• Would you take an abstinence or harm minimisation approach for your (vignette) patient? Why? (Make sure you define harm minimisation).
• What psychosocial intervention(s) if any would you select for your (vignette) patient? Why? For example, if you select motivational interviewing, please ensure that you also include (i) an overview of the theoretical underpinnings or framework of the intervention you have chosen (for example, motivational interviewing’s theoretical underpinnings of the Transtheoretical Model).
• A brief review of the evidence-base (citing up to a total of six references in that section of your assignment) with a particular focus on research conducted on your (vignette) patient’s demographics.
• What would relapse prevention strategies you consider for your (vignette) patient? Why?
• If pharmacotherapy was also required for your (vignette) patient, how would (or could) you integrate the two treatment approaches?
Make sure that you answer all aspects of the marking criteria below AND that you connect the selected treatment to your (vignette) patient in the case scenario and why that treatment is appropriate for them.
Identified social factors in context of using for your (vignette) patient
/5
Special considerations identified for your (vignette) patient
/2
Rationale for abstinence or harm minimisation approach (and definition) for your (vignette) patient
/4
Selected appropriate treatment(s) for your (vignette) patient
/3
Demonstrated an understanding of the theory of the selected treatment(s) for your (vignette) patient
/7
Provided evidence that the treatment(s) selected are evidence-based for your (vignette) patient
/5
Identified appropriate Relapse Prevention strategies for your (vignette) patient
/8
Integration of Pharmacotherapies into Psychosocial Treatments for your (vignette) patient
/3
Implemented appropriate referencing style for your (vignette) patient
