Deciding not to seek help for substance use V1
Research type
Research Study
Full title
Deciding not to seek help for substance use: Exploring the role of attachment and reflective function
IRAS ID
250716
Contact name
Sarah Lawson
Contact email
Sponsor organisation
The University of Edinburgh
Duration of Study in the UK
1 years, 7 months, 30 days
Research summary
Individuals with substance use difficulties experience more psychological, physical, medical and legal problems in comparison to the general population. However, the majority of these individuals never seek formal help in relation to their substance use. Previous research exploring the views of individuals who use substances has tended to focus on the views of individuals retrospectively after they have accessed treatment. The implication of this is that the views of the vast majority of individuals who use substances are going unheard. The current study aims to add to the evidence base by exploring how individuals who use substances and choose not to seek help make sense of their behaviour.
Participants will be recruited from a variety of sources (e.g. local homeless services) and asked to take part in two interviews. The first interview will aim to gather information on the perspectives of the participants including their opinions, motivations and reasons for continuing with their substance use. The second interview will be more structured and will aim to gather information on how individuals see themselves, other people and the world around them. It will also aim to explore the extent to which they understand their own and other people’s thoughts, beliefs and desires.
The research aims to understand the psychological processes involved in helpseeking from the perspectives of those who are not seeking help for their substance use. By working within support services it may help those who work with complex individuals to be better psychologically informed.
REC name
West Midlands - Coventry & Warwickshire Research Ethics Committee
REC reference
18/WM/0273
Date of REC Opinion
15 Oct 2018
REC opinion
Further Information Favourable Opinion