A Family-based Intervention for Drug-abusing Adults in Hong Kong

A Family-based Intervention for Drug-abusing Adults in Hong Kong: a Quasi-experimental Trial

To develop a family-based intervention with components of engagement, family roles, affection, and competence and verify its effectiveness on drug abstinence and family functioning for drug-abusing adults in Hong Kong; To compare the difference between family-based intervention and routine care which mainly consists of individual counselling services for drug abusers.

This is a quasi-experimental trial examining the effects of a proposed family-based intervention for drug abusers on motivating them to stay drug abstinence and improve family functioning, in which 40 drug abusers with focal families (including spouses and/or children) will be recruited for intervention group receiving both family-based intervention and routine care and 40 drug abusers without involving family will be recruited for comparison group receiving routine care. In the in-take, drug-abusing subjects will be given a brief introduction and invited to provide basic background information about themselves and families. After filling the informed consent, participants will be assigned to intervention group or comparison group according to whether their family will join sessions together. After drug abusers and families fill in the online questionnaire at the baseline (T0), the intervention group will receive family-based intervention and routine care in one month, while the comparison group will receive only routine care in one month. Both groups will be assessed at two time points after intervention period (T1 = 1-month after baseline; T2 = 2-month after baseline). As hypothesized, the intervention group will show a greater reduction in the primary outcomes of drug use and greater increase in the secondary outcomes of family functioning than the comparison group. A repeated-measures analysis of covariance will be conducted to assess the effects of family-based intervention.

Inclusion criteria for intervention group:

1. Adults aged 18 to 55
2. Have used drugs in the past 90 days
3. At the time of case recruitment, the subject is engaged in an intimate relationship with a spouse/partner, or having a child/children
4. Understand oral and written Chinese

Exclusion criteria for intervention group:

1. Taking other treatments during intervention
2. The spouse or child of DA are not available to participate in the program

Inclusion criteria for comparison group:

1. Adults aged 18 to 55
2. Have used drugs in the past 90 days
3. Understand oral and written Chinese

Exclusion criteria for comparison group:

1. Taking other treatments during intervention