A collaborative research project, spearheaded by Carleton University, the National Native Addictions Partnership Foundation and the Canadian Centre on Substance Abuse, was funded in January 2005 by the Canadian Institutes of Health Research, Institute of Aboriginal People’s Health. The University of Saskatchewan became a partner in 2007.
PROJECT SUMMARY
The objective of this study is to examine the experiential paths of how Aboriginal women in conflict with the law constitute and reconstitute their self-identity, prior to, during and following treatment for illicit drug use (defined as the healing journey). The starting point of inquiry is an interpretation of women’s drug use as a coping and survival technique from emotional pain and distress rooted in abuse and violence. A constellation of multiple “identities” is theorized to contribute to a cohesive sense of “self-identity”, and this self-identity will be analyzed, in conjunction with associated role expectations and stigma, for its influence on women’s healing journey. These identities may include “Aboriginal”, “woman”, “criminal”, “illicit drug abuser”, “mother”, “traditional caregiver” and “victim/survivor”. This study also examines the influence of treatment program workers on women’s constitution and reconstitution of their self-identity and its relation to healing.
This research combines three topic areas that extend directly from previous research and community outreach work of the team members. They are broadly defined as: 1) illicit drug use and self-harm, 2) Aboriginal women in conflict with the law, and 3) role of the treatment program worker in women’s healing. The concept of self-identity connects the areas and is the focus of this study.
The methodology of this qualitative, exploratory research is not constructed on hypotheses, but rather on the following guiding statements that serve to initiate the research direction.
- The lived experiences of adult Aboriginal female illicit drug users in conflict with the law are intimately tied to the constitution of their self-identity. Self-identity influences the women’s healing prior to, during and following drug treatment. Explored is the effects of the women’s multiple identities and associated roles expectations and stigma on their healing.
- Drug use is a form of coping and survival rooted in experiences of abuse and violence. Explored is the relation between women’s drug use and the constitution and reconstitution of their self-identity.
- The influence of treatment workers on the lives of women illicit drug users as they undergo treatment affects women’s healing outcomes. Explored is the role of the treatment worker in assisting women in the constitution of their self-identity and its relation to healing.
The theoretical framework of the study is drawn from sociological and population health perspectives.
The research plan is based on the work of a number of community collaborators which allows the research to be done “by, for and in balance with” the research population and not “on” them. These include the National Native Addictions Partnership Foundation, the Elizabeth Fry Society of Manitoba, the Canadian Centre on Substance Abuse, the University of Winnipeg, and the University of Ottawa. To this point all collaborators have been involved in the study focus and design. There are four key stages to the research plan. The first was to design and pre-test an in-depth, semi-structured interview instrument with the involvement of all collaborators, including Aboriginal women drug users in conflict with the law and treatment providers. Second, interviews with women and treatment workers were carried out through a randomized sampling of select NNAPF-associated treatment centres and communities across Canada. Third, the data is being analyzed using NVivo software. And last, strategies of knowledge dissemination and transference are being employed to inform intellectual understanding and practice, and improve the health of Aboriginal women illicit drug users in conflict with the law in Canada. These are expected outcomes of the study given the collaborative and inclusive foundation of the research plan. The Aboriginal principles of OCAP (ownership, control, access and possession) and the “CIHR Guidelines for Health Research with Aboriginal Peoples” inform the research plan.
RESEARCH QUESTION
What are the experiential paths of Aboriginal women in conflict with the law in the constitution and reconstitution of their self-identity, accounting for associated role expectations and stigma, prior to, during and following treatment for illicit drug use (defined as the healing journey)? And how do treatment program workers influence women’s constitution and reconstitution of their self-identity and what is the relation to their healing?