Children from families with addiction problems can daily exposed to many risk factors that affect their psychosocial development and their challenges are related to (re)experiencing many traumatic experiences, strong feelings of fear, shame, sadness, pain, and threat. A deeper insight into their experiences explains their choice of attachment styles in adulthood, as they are defined by experiences from childhood and growing up in a non-supportive family environment with reduced opportunities to gain meaningful experiences in the primary family environment with daily exposure to feelings of fear, worry and anxiety, due to as a result of which the feeling of fear becomes generalized and becomes a part of their actions and dealing with everyday situations and problems. Their coping with challenges can manifested in caring for others and neglecting and denying their own needs.
During the planning of the research for the doctoral dissertation, numerous theories were reviewed. To gain an in-depth understanding of the experiences of children from families affected by addiction, a comprehensive analysis of systems theory was conducted, which explains various interactions and provides a holistic understanding of individual functioning within the family or system. Additionally, theoretical assumptions explaining homeostasis were considered. A particularly important aspect of systems theory for the dissertation topic is the concept of family secrets. Furthermore, the salutogenic concept was taken into account, which is based on the concepts of resilience and coherence, emphasizing key aspects related to solution-seeking, resilience, and proactive behavior. The research included theoretical foundations crucial for the study, focusing on risk and protective factors, as the research questions address the connection between these factors and the fulfillment of children's needs.
In the theoretical part, various socio-pedagogical concepts were considered, along with the characteristics of the postmodern era, which significantly influence the understanding of family dynamics and gender differences. Since attachment styles, parenting styles, and educational styles are directly and indirectly related to the research topic, an analysis of their fundamental characteristics was conducted. The theoretical section also examines the connection between family, family dynamics, and addiction dynamics, presented from multiple perspectives.
To analyze the risk and protective factors for children from families affected by addiction and to gain an in-depth insight into the seven research questions, a qualitative study was conducted. In the empirical part, a qualitative research approach was employed. The research process involved activities directed towards the living environment of the children included in the study, aiming to understand their lives and daily experiences in specific situations.
The scientific contribution of the doctoral dissertation lies in providing a profound understanding of risk and protective factors in the psychosocial development of children from families affected by addiction. Based on theoretical insights and empirical findings, the dissertation contributes to a broader and more systematic understanding, identification of risk and protective factors, and meeting the psychosocial needs of children growing up in families facing addiction. The findings indicate that some interventions offered by socio-pedagogical concepts can be applied in designing programs for the vulnerable group of children addressed in the dissertation. This includes the possibility of family engagement through professional support, child empowerment, and influencing their life trajectories.
The applied contribution of the doctoral dissertation lies in an in-depth examination of the content of assistance programs for children from families struggling with addiction. These programs should primarily focus on reducing risk factors and strengthening protective factors at multiple levels, targeting different groups: children from such families, parents, professionals in education and social welfare, and the general public.
The conclusion presents recommendations for designing guidelines for the planning and development of future programs and comprehensive psychosocial work with the target group of children, emphasizing the strengthening of protective factors.
The planning and development of assistance programs for children from families struggling with addiction should include teaching various strategies for coping with life situations, aiming to reduce experiences of fear, threat, uncertainty, and distrust while enhancing their ability to recognize and meet their own needs. These strategies should be professionally supported and directed towards reducing risk factors for children's psychosocial development. Such interventions could positively impact their overall psychosocial development, offering them a deeper understanding of their past and opportunities to create new life paths in a safe environment.
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