1)The Impact of Culture
Determining how culture contributes to substance abuse and addiction is vital for a counselor and scholar-practitioner committed both to client well-being and social change.
In this Discussion, you will analyze how culture may contribute to substance abuse and addiction by comparing the impact of two specific cultures.
To prepare for this Discussion:
• Review this week's Learning Resources, focusing on the information about how culture may contribute to substance abuse and addiction in the cultures discussed.
• Select two different cultures and think about the influence that each of the cultures has on substance abuse and addiction.
• Consider the similarities and differences in the influence that each of these two cultures has on substance abuse and addiction.
Assignment:
a comparison (similarities and differences) of the impact of two different cultures on substance abuse and/or addiction. Use specific examples to illustrate how elements of each culture may have an impact on particular aspects of substance abuse and/or addiction.
Readings
• Course Text: Substance Abuse Counseling
o For review: Chapter 4, "Etiology of Substance Abuse: Why People Use" (pp. 105-110 only)
o For review: Chapter 9, "Family Treatment" (pp. 240-253 only)
o Chapter 12, "Working with Diverse Cultures: Exploring Sociocultural Influences and Realities in ATOD Treatment and Prevention" (pp. 311-335)
2) Application: The Influences of Biology, Family, and Culture
From your readings in this course, you are aware of how substance abuse and other addictions are complex issues that reflect overlapping dimensions of biology, family, and culture. A major challenge is to keep these dimensions in focus when working with clients. Now that you have explored these dimensions, you will demonstrate your knowledge by integrating them in an example.
To prepare for this assignment:
• Review this week's Learning Resources, focusing on the information about how biology, family, and culture may contribute to and/or impact substance abuse and addiction.
• Analyze how the dimensions of biology, family, and culture overlap.
• Reflect on the challenges of discerning causality in substance abuse and addiction.
• Think of a hypothetical case in which you might illustrate the impact of biology, family, and culture on substance abuse and/or addiction.
• Consider how biological, familial, and cultural influences have an impact on the case.
The assignment: (1-2 pages)
• Create and describe a hypothetical example that specifically illustrates how biology, family, and culture may contribute to and/or impact substance abuse and/or addiction.
• Explain how biology, family, and culture may each contribute to substance abuse and/or addiction in the case.