Date of Conferral
2020
Degree
Ph.D.
School
Human Services
Advisor
Randy Heinrich
Abstract
With deinstitutionalization in the 1970s, individuals with intellectual disabilities were
mainstreamed back into their communities, along with an increase in the prevalence of
alcohol abuse and a necessity for family members to be the main source of care, support,
and advocacy. The purpose of this hermeneutical phenomenological study was to explore
the lived experiences of caregivers of family members with intellectual disabilities
abusing alcohol and the obtainment of substance abuse treatment services. The
conceptual framework included a combination of family stress and caring theories which
provided an ontological direction as to how caregivers perceived the phenomenon of
obtaining substance abuse treatment services for their family member. Data were
collected through face-to-face structured interviews with 8 caregivers who were selected
using purposive sampling. A modified version of van Kaam's method of analysis assisted
in the aggregation of themes and to explore caregivers' lived experiences of seeking
substance abuse treatment services. Results included the cyclic categories of (a) stress,
(b) worry, (c) hopelessness and helplessness, (d) anger, and (e) self-blame, as
experienced by the caregivers. Implications for policy and social change include
information for stakeholders, policymakers, and human service facilitators regarding
caregivers' perceptions of seeking substance abuse treatment services for family
members with intellectual disabilities who are abusing alcohol and for subsequent
support programming development and management
Recommended Citation
Nicoll, Mariam, "Caregiver Role in Alcohol Abuse Treatment for Individuals with Intellectual Disabilities" (2020). Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies. 8103.
https://scholarworks.waldenu.edu/dissertations/8103
