How affected family members communicate about their loved one's non-medical opioid use

Bibliographic Data

ID2921092
AuthorsSuzanne Brown (0000-0001-7329-2137, Wayne State University, corresponding author), Sydney O’shay (0000-0002-6880-4561, Utah State University), Emily Pasman (0000-0003-2634-7902, Wayne State University), Danielle Hicks (0000-0002-1870-9822, Wayne State University), Elizabeth Agius (Wayne State University), Stella M Resko (0000-0002-3323-0190, Wayne State University)
Year2024
Volume41
Issue1
Pages180-199
Publication date2024-01-01
Peer ReviewedYes
Open AccessYes
TypeARTICLE
VenueJournal of Social and Personal Relationships (JOURNAL)
Journal identifiersISSN: 0265-4075 • E-ISSN: 1460-3608
PublisherSAGE Publications Inc (PUBLISHER)
DOI10.1177/02654075231212938
OpenAlexW4388164106
LanguageEN
Citations received2
References cited33

Family members of people who misuse opioids frequently experience stigma due to their association with non-medical opioid use (NMOU). Stigma may affect how family members communicate about NMOU and seek social support. Guided by communication privacy management theory, this study sought to understand how affected family members (AFMs) communicate about NMOU within and outside of the immediate family. In-depth interviews were conducted with 34 adults with an immediate relative with NMOU. Qualitative analyses utilized a common iterative approach. Findings identified complex dialectical tensions that families traverse in both wanting to conceal stigmatizing information while simultaneously wanting to disclose information to engage support for themselves during stressful experiences. Strategies to resolve this tension included focusing on the good, functional updates, and moving from closed to open communication boundaries. Treatment for individuals with NMOU should engage families and assist with the resolution of communication privacy management tensions

Internet privacy · Interpersonal communication · Psychiatry · Qualitative research · Stigma (botany · Grief, Bereavement, and Mental Health · Maternal Mental Health During Pregnancy and Postpartum · Mental Health Treatment and Access · Psychology · Social Psychology

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