Citation

Skatvedt A, Schou KC. Scand. J. Public Health 2010; 38(5 Suppl): 81-87.

Affiliation

SIRUS - The Norwegian Institute for Alcohol and Drug Research, Oslo, Norway. ahs@sirus.no

Copyright

(Copyright © 2010, Associations of Public Health in the Nordic Countries Regions, Publisher SAGE Publishing)

DOI

10.1177/1403494810382814

PMID

21062842

Abstract

AIMS: To explore aspects of treatment clients identify as having had a positive effect on their process of change. Method: The first author conducted data collection for one year through both participant observation and interviews. RESULTS: Certain, apparently commonplace, informal interaction situations appear to constitute emotionally moving and identity-constructing contexts that have a significant impact on clients. These are situations in which new, ''straight'' identities can be proffered, tried out and explored. The situations in question seem to move clients, emotionally, mentally and biographically in a positive direction. CONCLUSIONS: The process of change is presented as an upside-down version of the traditional labelling theory: if normal people can be labeled as deviants, deviants can be re-labeled as normal. This study concludes that commonplace interactions are powerful labeling situations. These situations seem at first glance to be trivial, superficial and very common. Still, and perhaps because of their ''smallness'', they are identified as authentic and thereby trustworthy contributors to new narratives of worthy selves.

Language: en