Family Structure, Personality Traits and Family Relationships among Drug Dependents

This study explored and analyzed the drug dependents personal and family profile, unconscious and underlying personality traits, and the relationship, reaction and support they get from their families towards the creation of a framework and enhancement of the family intervention program abasis for the utilization  of the framework that would reduce family risk factors with respect to drug problem sand improve the functioning of families and strengthen support to families that could contribute to the families’ positive role in responding to such condition. This paper involved ten (10) drug dependents currently undergoing rehabilitation in a drug facility using qualitative method through narrative approaching collecting and analyzing data where dominant tools utilized were projective techniques such as Draw-a-Person and House-Tree-Person tests in determining their personality traits and Kinetic Family Drawing for family relationship and in-depth-interview for family reaction and support. From the qualitative data obtained, seven of them were males and three were females ranging from 23 to 50 years of age from Greater Manila Area with an average number of three siblings and had been into illicit drug used both to marijuana(cannabis) and to shabu (methamphetamine hydrochloride) due to family reasons, friends and their personal choice. Likewise, results showed that participant’s commonalities in terms of their unconscious personality traits are signs of insecurity, aggressiveness, evasiveness, anxiety and impulsivity. As regards to the participants’ family relationship, findings showed that common with their relationship in their familyism the presence of anxiety, ability to show love to others, closing oneself off to other family members and need for love. As to family’s reaction and support, almost similar results were obtained where the family’s reaction are in the contexts of family disposition whereas for family’s support, common is family commitment respectively. Lastly, the existing family intervention program of the drug facility was enhanced as to the utilization of the created framework in terms of family relationships of the participants.

Keywords: personality traits, family relation, reaction and support, drug dependents