A new study by Koski-Jännes, Pennonen, and Simmat-Durand assesses alcohol use disorder treatment in different cultural contexts.
“Treatment Professionals’ Basic Beliefs About Alcohol Use Disorders: The Impact of Different Cultural Contexts“
Background:
The treatment of alcohol abusers in different cultural contexts does not depend only on the methods used but also on the ways in which treatment providers perceive the problem and relate to their clients.
Objectives:
This study compares treatment professionals’ basic beliefs about alcohol use disorders in two culturally different European countries to find out to what extent these ideas are shaped by the respondents’ socio-cultural context, profession, and other background variables.
Conclusions:
Cultural factors shape the ways in which alcohol use disorders are perceived more pervasively than the other background variables. The French professionals’ low trust in treatment and the Finnish professionals’ lack of concern for the addiction potential of alcohol and stronger tendency to regard the person as responsible for the problem could be seen as potential impediments to effective ways of helping alcohol abusers in these countries.