The Experience of Internalized Oppression in Graduates of Latina-Centric Substance Abuse Treatment Programs
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Authors
Mosqueda, Annette Goldman
Issue Date
2005
Type
Dissertation
Language
en
Keywords
Alternative Title
Abstract
As the United States has historically struggled to establish a more just society, it has only been more recently that researchers have recognized the importance of examining the impact of oppression on the psychology of minority populations, including women, African American men, lesbians, and gays. Studies have shown that internalizing negative stereotypes can have profoundly deleterious effects on subjects' self-concept and behavior and broader societal impact. Despite evidence that suggests a relationship between substance abuse and internalized oppression (IO), no studies have substance abusers as their focus. While Latina substance abusers are members of a fast-growing minority population and suffer multiple levels of oppression due to their minority status and social context, there is a dearth of available research that explores IO in this at-risk population. The current qualitative study examined the occurrence and effect of IO on the recovery of substance abusers as evidenced in the narratives of four racially and culturally diverse Latina subjects. Six general themes and eleven IO themes were present in each woman's narrative. Each woman's narrative illustrated a precipitous decrease in the prevalence of IO once they completed Latina-centric programs. The study findings point to the importance of creating interventions that take into consideration the impact of these multiple IO themes, given that they are linked to Latina substance abusers' worldview, self-concept, and collective sense of self. This study suggests a multi-dimensional approach to the treatment of Latina substance abusers in order to sustain recovery and promote healing.