Social drift among primary alcohol abusers

Abstract

Research relevant to the pathways of becoming homeless (social drift) are few, particularly those that pertain to primary alcohol abusers. The author explored the plight of these individuals within the context of an urban city substance abuse treatment center located within the Johns Hopkins Medical System. By using a qualitative research design, the testimonies from the subjects developed the central themes through a sequence of interviews. In addition, the ongoing analysis of data and the emerging hypotheses were continually reconstructed by a constant comparative method involving the review of case files, revising observations, and the negotiation of the emerging themes with the subjects. The data was also continually tested for its trustworthiness using a set of systematic procedures. Findings that emerged indicated that there were five prevalent clusters of life events and factors that led to social drift of the respondents. They were in the categories of predispositional factors, the lack of intervention during the formative years, the life-cycle and progression of the alcohol and subsequent poly-drug abuse itself, non-productive and refuge-seeking related behaviors and by the clients' own inability to successfully negotiate with the social support systems and treatment chances even when made available to them.