BOOKS BY CATERINA ARCIDIACONO

L’articolo si propone di esplorare gli elementi salienti e distintivi dell’Action- Research nel quadro della psicologia di comunità. La finalità trasformativa, il rigore metodologico, il tenere conto della cornice contestuale e la piena partecipazione del ricercatore al contesto indagato vengono descritti quali aspetti caratterizzanti della tecnica. Le modalità del ricercatore di essere "nel campo" e la riflessività vengono spesso presentate come un dato di fatto dovuto a circostanze contingenti e soggettive, e non sono proposte come specifico oggetto di formazione e d’indagine. Attraverso l’analisi critica del rapporto con il contesto, il contributo esplicita invece l’importanza della partecipazione attiva del ricercatore esemplificandone le modalità d’intervento ed evidenziando altresì l’importanza della ridiscussione continua della esperienza in corso.

The research process in community psychology: Knowledge, transformative aims and participation - The paper is focused on the methodology of research in community psychology pointing out its principals and critical aspects. In particular, the authors define the main characteristics of intervention research, and specifically action-research, in community psychology. Three topics are deepened: participation, trust and validity of the research. The paper closes with the comments on the papers that are collected in this number of the Journal. Keywords: intervention research, action-research, participation, aims, validity, methodology

Relatives under stress for sons/daughters’ or partners’ alcohol or drugs use: a gender approach The ADF (Alcohol, Drug and Family Group), directed by Jim Orford, has extensive experience in the research and treatment of families in which a problem of alcohol or drug consumption exists. The Group’s work, which identifies a specific model for responding to household stress (Stress-Tension-Coping-Support), illustrates various family members’ forms of coping (engaged, tolerant, avoidant) in their specific manifestations. Such an apportionment particularly allows for the description of certain tactics typical of males and females, husbands and wives, in confronting the stress caused by a partner who abuses drugs or alcohol. On a reading of the social data, it would appear that the complexity lies for both men and women in their assumption of a socially prescribed role: the father dedicated to his work and the mother to nurturing the relationship. Keywords: gender roles, gender expectations, coping