Betydelsen av socialt stöd och motivation inom Anonyma alkoholister : En kvalitativ undersökning av individers upplevelser kring socialt stöd och motivation samt dess påverkan av Covid-19 pandemin

Sammanfattning

The aim of this study is to examine how active participants in Alcoholics Anonymous experience the importance of social support and motivation within the group to maintain sobriety, and how this was affected by the covid-19 pandemic. The purpose is answered based on two questions: What significance does social support and motivation have for individual participants in Alcoholics Anonymous for maintaining sobriety? What opportunities have existed to provide continued social support during the pandemic and has the pandemic affected the motivation of the individual participants? The study uses a qualitative method consisting of semi-structured interviews with two active participants in Alcoholics Anonymous and six active participants who hold a position of trust as group service representatives in Alcoholics Anonymous. Theories we have used in our analysis of the collected material are Randall Collins' theory of social support, Interaction Rituals and Richard Ryan and Edward L. Deci´'s motivation theory, Self-Determination Theory. The results depict varying experiences about the importance of social support and motivation and to what extent the covid-19 pandemic has affected the individuals and groups. All respondents describe how the community was experienced more strongly during the pandemic as cooperation between participants was required to a greater extent. The contact between participants outside of meetings is described as significant, to enable continued social support. Common to all respondents is the importance of community and participants during meetings to maintain motivation for sobriety. The respondents describe how the social support and motivation did not affect the community as a whole during the pandemic. Furthermore, a majority of the respondents feel that the pandemic had an impact on individual participants who for various reasons did not have the opportunity, or chose not to attend meetings as a result of the pandemic.