Publication Date

2011

Document Type

Masters Thesis

Department

School for Social Work

Keywords

Teenagers-Alcohol use, Alcoholism-Treatment, Post-traumatic stress disorder in adolescence-Treatment, Dual diagnosis, Yoga-Therapeutic use, Meditation-Therapeutic use, Alternative treatment, Adolescent, Alcohol abuse, Trauma, Yoga, Meditation, Relaxation

Abstract

This study was undertaken to determine whether alternative forms of treatment such as yoga and meditation, when used adjunctively with traditional therapies, are effective in the treatment of adolescents with both alcohol use disorder (AUD) and a history of trauma. There have been studies linking relaxation therapy and meditation to improved outcomes in similar adult populations but very few have studied adolescents. Given the early onset of use and abuse of alcohol by many of those who also have a history of trauma, this study sought to explore the opinions of clinicians who utilize these alternative treatments. A total of 22 licensed mental health clinicians who treat this population participated in a mixed method web survey. Thirty-six clients were reported on, 56% of whom first used alcohol between the ages of 10 and 13. It was found that 72% of clinicians experienced these alternative methods as being effective in alleviating some of the most acute of their clients' symptoms. Furthermore, 77% of these clients found these methods effective and useful tools to use independently. The results of this small study imply that alternative treatments are useful in treating this population although this researcher experienced difficulty in recruiting participants, implying there are very few clinicians currently utilizing these methods and this subject would clearly benefit from more research.

Language

English

Comments

55 p. : col. ill. Thesis (M.S.W.)-Smith College School for Social Work, Northampton, Mass., 2011. Includes bibliographical references (p. 37-41)

Download

Share

COinS