Abstract

FERNANDES, Alexandra Melo  and  SOARES, Adriana Benevides. Codependents of psychoactive substances: perception of social support and quality of life. Contextos Clínic [online]. 2018, vol.11, n.2, pp. 206-216. ISSN 1983-3482.  http://dx.doi.org/10.4013/ctc.2018.112.06.

The co-dependent of a psychoactive substance is often hit negatively by the pathology of the dependent who falls ill, suffers and often does not know how to deal with the addict. He or she needs social support suitable for assisting him or her on how to behave in the face of the difficulties derived from pathology and to assume the dependent with responsibility and have a good quality of life. Thus, this study aimed at verifying the relationship between social support and quality of life of codependents of psychoactive substances. The sample consisted of 80 codependent participants, with ages ranging from 23 to 72 years, being 40 assisted by a group which provided social support and 40 not attended by any kind of support. We used the Scale of Social Support (EPSS) and the Quality of Life Assessment Instrument of the World Health Organization (WHOQOL-100). The main results show that codependents who participate in the support group have significantly higher social support as well as the perception of quality of life and that social support predicts 28 percent of the quality of life. The study provides evidence of the importance of social support for the co-dependent of psychoactive substances and the perception of a better quality of life when they perceive this social support.

Keywords : codependent; social support; quality of life.

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