Problem Drinking, Gambling and Eating – Three Problems, One Understanding? A Qualitative Comparison between French and Finnish Social Workers:

摘要

AimCulture Is often used as a wildcard in cross-cultural studies. This article proposes a more diverse understanding of culture, as layered from “deep structures” towards institutional arrangements. It analyses which cultural levels are involved in Finnish and French social workers' understanding of problem drinking, gambling and eating.DesignA stimulated focus group method (Reception Analytical Group Interview) RAGI was applied to eight groups of Finnish and five groups of French social workers not specialised in addiction. The interviews were analysed with a semi-otic approach.ResultsFinnish social workers understand problem drinking, gambling and eating as rooted in society and harming the social environment. It is the individual's responsibility to solve the problem. French social workers conceptualise only problem eating similar to problem drinking as being caused by an individual defect. They identify problem gambling as a social issue.ConclusionsThe results imply that both the institutional context...