Qualitative study of mental health and mental health treatment among young cannabis and psychostimulant users in residential substance abuse treatment

NDARC Staff

Anthony Arcuri, Jan Copeland, and John Howard

Other Investigators

Jagdish Dua (Ted Noffs Foundation)

Aims

To explore mental health difficulties of young people with problematic cannabis and/or psychostimulant use in residential substance use treatment and to ascertain past barriers to treatment for mental health and substance use difficulties and what these young people find most helpful in their current treatment program.

Design and Method

This study is being conducted in collaboration with the Ted Noffs Foundation (TNF), with residents of their Program for Adolescent Life Management (PALM). It is expected that a sample of 8 to 12 PALM residents will be interviewed, depending on when theoretical saturation (when no new information seems to emerge from the data analysis) is reached. The data from the interviews will be analysed using a grounded theory approach, with the assistance of the NVivo software package. The grounded theory approach has been chosen for its particular usefulness in understanding topic areas that are under-researched.

Progress

In data collection and analysis stage.

Funding

NCPIC core funding.