Social work theory Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 3000 words

Social work theory - Essay Example2). There are several models and theories about the cause of substance abuse and dependency used to provide an explanation of dependency. These models have strong implications on the interventions that practitioners implement.An explanation that addiction/alcoholism is a consequence of an individuals personal woof is adhered to by proponents of the moral model. The view that indulgence in alcohol and substance abuse is a personal choice makes it justifiable for an individual to be punished. another(prenominal) perspective views addiction/alcoholism is related to the parents excessive neglect during childhood. This type of explanation is characteristic of the socio-cultural and psychological models of addiction. Several studies reveal that the great unwashed who become addicts have underlying psychological disorders and these interact with certain socio-cultural factors to cause further exacerbation of substance abuse. . In the well-being paradigm, substance abuse is viewed as reflecting an underlying, intra-psychological deficiency (Maton et al., 1992, p. 81). These psychological problems cause emotional pain and relief from pain is readily offered by alcohol and drug use.On the other hand, the disease thought of substance abuse postulates that addiction is a primary disease and not secondary or corollary to another condition. Perhaps the greatest advantage to the articulation that addiction is a disease has been to remove the moral stigma attached to chemical dependency and to replace it with an emphasis on treatment of an illness (Fisher et al, 1997, p. 45). However, a major(ip) criticism of this model is the notion that it relieves the substance abuser from taking responsibility of his/her behavior. It paints a picture of the alcoholic or addict as powerless and a passive victim in the drinking/ drug use behavior. To their defense, proponents of the