Subjective Perception of the Life Change of Persons in the Methadone Maintenance Treatment Program in České Budějovice.

The thesis focuses on the subjectively perceived changes in the lives of persons in the methadone maintenance treatment program, on their experiencing of the changes and subjective judgment of the treatment. The topic is treated according to the Bio-Psycho-Socio-Spiritual Model of Addiction. The theoretical part deals with the quality of life and the subjectively perceived well-being and defines six dimensions of well-being on which the practical part of the thesis is based. It also elaborates on the Bio-Psycho-Socio-Spiritual Model of Addiction in the context of the methadone maintenance treatment. Moreover, it describes the factors in life change and the motivation to change. The last theoretical chapter focuses on the opioid substitution treatment as such and more specifically on the methadone maintenance treatment. The practical part presents the results of the research. The aim of the thesis is to analyse how the persons in the methadone maintenance treatment program in České Budějovice perceive life changes. A qualitative research was chosen for that purpose. The data were obtained through the technique of narrative interview. The research group consisted of four respondents who were on the methadone maintenance treatment program. The results show that the subjectively perceived changes in the lives of the persons in the methadone maintenance treatment program relate to five out of six dimensions of well-being. No changes were recorded in the dimension concerning the sense of life, in other words, even after a several month methadone maintenance treatment these persons perceive no goal of their lives. Important consequences for work with these persons can be drawn from that, especially for therapists in opioid substitution centres, who should develop spirituality aspects of persons