Adult separation anxiety and substance use : implications for counselling psychology

Adult Separation Anxiety (ASA) is an under-researched phenomenon and is currently not included in the Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders IV (DSM-IV) despite a growing body of research literature showing its presentation in adults. There are a significant number of studies of adults using illicit substances and studies linking the use of substances and anxiety, yet none found so far to link substance use with Adult Separation Anxiety. The first aim of the current study was to investigate if Adult Separation Anxiety was present in a group of substance using clients in a drug treatment service. The second aim was to then explore the meaning and construction of the anxiety in those substance users presenting with this anxiety. Thirty-two substance using clients within a drug treatment service were given the Adult Separation Anxiety Self-Report Questionnaire (ASA-27), see Appendix 11. From this, 12 were interviewed using the Adult Separation Anxiety Semi-Structured Interview (SASI-II). The questionnaire data was analysed using the cut-off rates given by the questionnaire creators as indicators for the presence of Adult Separation Anxiety Disorder. The interview data was analysed using a Grounded Theory methodology to generate a theory. From the questionnaire scores 16 of the 32 participants who completed the ASA-27 questionnaire scored above 22, the cut-off for Adult Separation Anxiety Disorder, and 21 of the 32 participants scored above 16, the cut-off rate indicating the presence of Adult Separation Anxiety. Analysis of the interviews generated a theory of the importance of others to the participants and how this impacted their anxiety, substance use, self-perception and their fear of loss. 20EThOS - Electronic Theses Online ServiceGBUnited Kingdo