Explanations for Heroin Use

• Date: 01 July 1988
• Published date: 01 July 1988
• DOI: 10.1177/002204268801800310
• Subject Matter: Article

The

Journal

of Drug Issues, 18(3),457-465, 1988

EXPLANATIONS

FOR

HEROIN

USE

Niall Coggans

John

B. Davies

This paper examines, from the perspective

of

"attribution theory," the role

of

explanations (for

drug use) in giving up drug use. In particular, the

"functional utility"

of

explanations (attributions) in

the service

of

self-esteem needs is discussed. It

appears that, in a group

of

heroin users, explana-

tions are consistently related to level or pattern

of

heroin use in a manner with considerable utility for

self-esteem. The attributional strategies employed,

and

the implications

of

particular attributions

(explanations) for drug use are also discussed.

In normal clinical practice, heroin "addiction" is likely to be inferred from two

aspects of behaviour, namely, the pattern and extent of drug use, and the

circumstances surrounding drug use. In both cases, verbal self-reports will be

important sources of data.

However,

for some time it has been known

that

verbal

accounts are not simple representations of the truth,

but

are acts of cognitive

construction serving a number of functions (Davies,

1987).

The extent to which

social factors affect the answers given by "addicts" in response to questions about

theirbehaviour presents afundamental and largely ignored problem for addiction

workers. Furthermore, to assume

that

heroin users' verbal explanations are not

influenced by psychological and social considerations such as self-esteem or self-

presentation is to assume

that

drug users are reliably unconcerned about other

peoples' attitudes to their drug use.

Self-reports of drug use have been shown to be influenced by social/contextual

factors. Davies and Baker (in press) have shown how self-reports of drug use can

be biased as a function of being interviewed by either a"straight" interviewer or

by a known heroin-user. A sample of heroin users presented themselves to the

"straight" interviewer as heavier users, as more "addicted," as less likely to stop

using heroin and as suffering more health consequences, in comparison to their

answers when interviewed by the locally known user. Which picture is closer to

Niall

CotnrlUUlis aResearch Fellow

with

the Addiction Research Group (ARGUS),

Department

of Psychology at the

University of Strathclyde, George Street, Glasgow. G11RD.

John

B.

Davie.

is a Senior Lecturer and the Director of the

Addiction Research Group (ARGUS),

Department

of Psychology at

the

University ofStrathclyde, George Street, Glasgow.

G11RD.

Cl

Journal

of Drug Issues, Inc.

0022-04261881031457-465

$1.00

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