The Effects of Parental Substance Abuse on Perceived Family Well-Being in a Selected Rural Area in South Africa

Authors

  • Zanelle Frans BADISA, Paarl South Africa
  • Glynnis Dykes University of the Western Cape image/svg+xml
  • Shernaaz Carelse University of the Western Cape image/svg+xml

DOI:

https://doi.org/10.25159/2708-9355/9788

Keywords:

children, family well-being, parenting, rural, substance abuse

Abstract

In this study, we focused on the effects of parental substance abuse on family well-being in a selected rural area in the Western Cape province of South Africa, because of the lack of research in this community. The farm workers in this community were paid partially with alcohol, which is historically associated with the tot system. In this study, we used a qualitative approach to conduct semi-structured individual interviews with six known substance-abusing parents and six family members of substance-abusing parents. Purposive and snowball sampling were used to recruit the participants from farms in the rural community. The themes centred on the effects of parental substance use on intimate relationships, parenting, children and family functioning. The findings confirm that parental substance abuse in the selected rural area seemed no different to the effects in an urban setting. We therefore suggest that the sociocultural setting of the rural area underscore the ways in which these effects play out. This is because rural settings make the effects substantially more significant with regard to available resources, geographic distances, the enduring effects of the tot system, and norms regarding alcohol, which feed into risk factors. We recommend that a substance abuse framework redress the obstacles which influence the kinds of support and resources that people have access to and partnerships with farm owners for multilevel and appropriate services. We also recommend that the existing policies be amended to focus more strongly on rural areas.

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Author Biographies

Zanelle Frans, BADISA, Paarl South Africa

Ms Zanelle Frans is a child protection social worker at BADISA Paarl, South Africa. She completed her social work degree in 2015 and her Master’s degree in social work in 2020. She has been a practicing social worker for the past 6 years. Her special interest is in child abuse, child neglect and substance abuse.

Glynnis Dykes, University of the Western Cape

Dr Glynnis Dykes is a senior lecturer in the Department of Social Work at the University of the Western Cape. She completed her PhD in social work learning and teaching at the University of Stellenbosch. She is published in learning and teaching and the adverse childhood experiences of social work students, and specifically the effects on how students are able to learn within their individual contexts and own personal experiences. Her research interests include family well-being and parenting, and youth in gangs; especially the learning and teaching of these topics in social work which are context-driven.

Shernaaz Carelse, University of the Western Cape

Dr Shernaaz Carelse is a lecturer in the Department of Social Work at the University of the Western Cape. She has a PhD in social work substance abuse services provided by non-profit organisations to adult methamphetamine users. She has publications in substance use, learning and teaching in social work, spirituality in social work, and child and family wellbeing. Her research interests are substance abuse, child and family wellbeing, child and youth care, learning and teaching in social work, and spirituality in social work practice. 

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Published

2022-08-25

How to Cite

Frans, Zanelle, Glynnis Dykes, and Shernaaz Carelse. 2022. “The Effects of Parental Substance Abuse on Perceived Family Well-Being in a Selected Rural Area in South Africa”. Southern African Journal of Social Work and Social Development 34 (2):21 pages. https://doi.org/10.25159/2708-9355/9788.

Issue

Section

Articles
Received 2021-07-21
Accepted 2022-03-25
Published 2022-08-25