Requirements for Working with Families with a Substance-Dependent Parent: A Phenomenological Analysis of Employees of Helping Professions Involved in Addiction

Objective: The present study aimed to perform a phenomenological analysis of employees of helping professions involved in addiction. Method: The present research was a qualitative phenomenological study. The statistical population of this study included all employees of helping professions involved in the category of addiction (including counselors, psychologists, social workers, doctors, etc.) who were engaged in providing services to substance-dependent individuals or their families in Shiraz in 2021. Among them, 27 people were selected using the purposeful sampling method. An in-depth interview was used to collect data and the data obtained from the interview were analyzed using the thematic analysis method. Results: The results indicated the extraction of 130 concepts from the experiences of employees of helping professions, which were categorized into 20 sub-categories that were finally classified in 6 general categories of all-round support, awareness and training of necessary skills, the tasks of organs and specialists, psychological services, having the will and motivation to withdrawal and medical services. Conclusion: Families with a substance-dependent parent need professional care and support in the mentioned areas, and organizations and helping individuals need to design and implement appropriate interventions in these areas.