Från kartläggning till insats: Risk- och skyddsfaktorers betydelse i arbetet med unga vuxna med missbruksproblematik

Sammanfattning

Abstract: The purpose of this study is to examine how social workers within the substance abuse field view the use of manual-based assessment of risk and protective factors of young adults struggling with substance abuse. The purpose is also to examine how social workers within this field reason about risk and protective factors of young adults struggling with substance abuse. This study is grounded on a critical theory framework which is used to analyse the findings. The method used in this study is semistructured interviews with seven social workers that work in the substance abuse field in Sweden. The results showed that the professionals highlighted positive aspects such as high accuracy and increased legitimacy when it comes to the use of manual-based assessments. Negative aspects were decreased focus on the relational aspect and decreased professional autonomy in their daily work. The result also showed that professionals reasoned that risk-factors such as: adverse childhood experiences, substance abuse within the family, criminality, mental illness can be linked to the development of substance abuse among young adults. Conversely the professionals reason that the opposite factors could be understood as protective factors. This study argues that the manual-based assessment of risk and protective factors need to be adapted to the client and their unique circumstances. The reasoning of risk- and protective factors and assessment needs to be more focused on the organizational aspects of social work, as well as structural aspects of social injustice.