TY - JOUR
T1 - A Life Experience Study on the Recovery of Alcohol Dependent Homeless Individuals in Korea
AU - Kang, Sun Kyung
AU - Shin, Seungnam
AU - Cha, Myunghee
N1 - Funding Information:
This work was supported by the Ministry of Education of the Republic of Korea and the National Research Foundation of Korea (NRF-2020S1A5B8100993).
Publisher Copyright:
© 2021 Taylor & Francis Group, LLC.
PY - 2022
Y1 - 2022
N2 - This phenomenological study examined the reasons why the participants became alcohol dependent and homeless, what kind of life they lived, and what triggered them to make efforts toward alcohol abstinence and exiting homelessness. Data were collected from one-on-one in-depth interviews with six individuals who recovered from alcohol and homelessness. The data analysis resulted in 98 semantic units, 13 revealed themes, and 4 essential themes of “Born with Bad luck,” “Desire for Protection and Understanding,” “World Still Worth Living in,” and “Gaining the Power to Live.” Based on these findings, the study suggests the need for family welfare policies to reinforce social safety nets, policies to attract people struggling with alcohol dependence and homelessness to the labor market, and integrated service support for these individuals. This study’s significance lies in its case studies of individuals who recovered from alcohol dependence and homelessness. Further research should detail the unique experiences of alcohol dependent homeless women, which can present further complexities due to child rearing responsibilities and heightened social stigma.
AB - This phenomenological study examined the reasons why the participants became alcohol dependent and homeless, what kind of life they lived, and what triggered them to make efforts toward alcohol abstinence and exiting homelessness. Data were collected from one-on-one in-depth interviews with six individuals who recovered from alcohol and homelessness. The data analysis resulted in 98 semantic units, 13 revealed themes, and 4 essential themes of “Born with Bad luck,” “Desire for Protection and Understanding,” “World Still Worth Living in,” and “Gaining the Power to Live.” Based on these findings, the study suggests the need for family welfare policies to reinforce social safety nets, policies to attract people struggling with alcohol dependence and homelessness to the labor market, and integrated service support for these individuals. This study’s significance lies in its case studies of individuals who recovered from alcohol dependence and homelessness. Further research should detail the unique experiences of alcohol dependent homeless women, which can present further complexities due to child rearing responsibilities and heightened social stigma.
KW - Alcohol dependence
KW - alcohol anonymous (AA)
KW - family disorganization
KW - homelessness
KW - recovery
UR - http://www.scopus.com/inward/record.url?scp=85116446944&partnerID=8YFLogxK
U2 - 10.1080/01488376.2021.1979711
DO - 10.1080/01488376.2021.1979711
M3 - Article
AN - SCOPUS:85116446944
SN - 0148-8376
VL - 48
SP - 176
EP - 186
JO - Journal of Social Service Research
JF - Journal of Social Service Research
IS - 2
ER -