Examining The Quality-Of-Life Experienced By Family Members Affected By A Loved One's Substance Use Disorder As Related to Personal Losses, Substance Use, Level Of Stress, And Perceived Support

The quality of life for those who support loved ones living with substance use disorder (SUD) is adversely affected due to destructive behaviors and the impact these behaviors have on the family system (Kaur, 2016). Consequently, primary support persons (PSP) often live their lives in silence and experience disenfranchised losses that impact not just the family unit but also impacts the human system, the most significant system among family units (Howard et al., 2010). This same researcher asserts this circular causality is almost always found among human and family systems as the actions of one person create responses or adaptions from other persons living within that same family unit. This is important because it highlights the way alcohol and other drugs (AOD) impact normal functioning of the addict, their loved ones, and society (Cudak & Pedagogika, 2015).
The purpose of this study was to examine variables that impact of quality of life of caregivers to people living with SUD. Perceived losses due to a loved one’s SUD, perceived social support, one’s own substance (ab)use, and stress were all examined to learn the impact these variables have on QOL. Multiple linear regression was utilized to examine the impact on QOL (n = 114) as predicted by losses, perceived support, substance use, and stress. Results indicated that support, losses, and stress are significantly associated with the dependent variable QOL (r2 = .815) to QOL. Results of this study postulate insight into future treatment approaches with PSP and highlight links to treatment that need to be addressed on behalf of PSP as well as the total family unit. These findings have implications for mental health and substance abuse counselors in terms of working with PSP and examining how improved QOL of support persons impacts those being treated for SUD. Future research is needed to examine how more thorough and more inclusive treatment approaches can include working with families of those who are addicted to substances.
Keywords: Quality of life, primary support person, substance use disorder, families, addiction, losses, depression and stress, support, family support, SUD treatment, family treatment involvement, support person