Sociological Imagination: Family Involvement in Alcohol Treatment

This report examines the application of sociological imagination within the context of professional leadership, specifically focusing on its impact on alcohol addiction treatment and recovery. The author, drawing from their experience as a counselor, emphasizes the limitations of individual-focused approaches and advocates for a more holistic approach that incorporates the social context, particularly the family. The report highlights sociological imagination as a crucial analytical tool for understanding how societal factors influence individual behavior and how interventions must address these broader influences. The author also discusses the use of double-loop learning to facilitate change within treatment processes and addresses the resistance to change, particularly from family members. The integration of family involvement is presented as a key component in improving treatment outcomes, fostering a supportive environment, and reducing the likelihood of relapse. The report concludes by emphasizing the importance of treating individuals with dignity and respect within a supportive social context to facilitate successful recovery.

Running head: SOCIOLOGICAL IMAGINATION 1
Sociological Imagination in Changing the Treatment Recovery through Involvement of the
Family
Student’s Name
Institution Affiliation

SOCIOLOGICAL IMAGINATION 2
Sociological Imagination in Changing the Treatment Recovery through Involvement of the
Family
Drug addiction, especially alcohol addiction, is one of the most painful social issues
facing the world today, and reversing the addiction and rehabilitating the affecting has proven
quite a challenge. As a counsellor, I have experienced the pain first-hand from both the people
suffering from alcoholism and the affected families. Sociological imagination is the most
effective critical analytical tool in effecting the change in the process in the treatment recovery
with the inclusion of the family members a main ingredient in the process.
Sociological imagination is a perspective in which the individual and his or her behaviour
are placed in a social context. Any problems that an individual faces have roots in the wider
society and solutions to them can only be faced through the analysis and involvement of the
members of the society. The social context serves as the root cause and social factors are
involved in its perpetuation. Focusing on the individual without involving the society, especially
the family, will most likely fail, and at best be a long and involved process (Carroll, Ford, &
Taylor, 2015). Drug abuse might result from issues in the wider society including peer pressure
or economic pressures. The onset of drugs and alcohol use mainly starts through social
interactions within a subculture having values and norms. Treatment of these addictions can,
therefore, be successfully treated through holistic approaches in which the social context is
addressed. The family forms the basic social context for an individual and their involvement in
the treatment and recovery of the person facing challenges of alcoholism makes the process
much easier, and the person is less likely to relapse. The same double loop models of learning
that are applied in education and leadership can be supportive in replacing old thoughts with new
models in alcohol treatment (Cartwright, 2002). Some of the current means of rehabilitating the

SOCIOLOGICAL IMAGINATION 3
person affected by alcohol in which the focus is on the individual need to change, with more
focus given to treating the alcoholic holistically.
Another tool that will support the change process of treatment of alcohol abusers through
the sociological imagination perspective is Double Loop Learning. Argyris was the main
proponent of double loop learning which was widely publicized in 1976 (Argyris, 1977). The
gist of the theory mainly involves the uncovering of the underlying assumptions and values and
distinguishes between espoused values and assumption and what they do in real life. The
confluence between the Double learning loop and sociological imagination is on the source of
conflict results from the interaction with other people in the society.
Change is always a painful process which makes people resist it. The process of
introduction of involving the family members has not been without its fair share of resistance,
especially from family members. However, application of leadership skills including being non-
confrontational smoothed the way for the introduction of the new ways of doing things guided by
the sociological imagination and double loop learning approach (Alvesson & Spicer, 2012). The
double loop learning theory and the sociological imagination supported were especially helpful
in the process of suggesting and implementing change in the issue of treating the person
holistically with due regard to the social context. The people suffering from addictions are no
longer treated as individuals but are treated as members of the society giving them dignity and
making them feel loved and valued which ultimately lead to a better adjustment in the new life
free of drugs.

SOCIOLOGICAL IMAGINATION 4
References
Argyris, C. (1977). Double Loop Learning in Organizations. Boston, MA: Harvard Business
School Publishing. Available at: https://hbr.org/1977/09/double-loop-learning-in-
organizations (Accessed 10 November 2018).
Carroll, B., Ford, J., & Taylor, S. (Eds.). (2015). Leadership: Contemporary critical perspectives.
Sage., chapter 5
Cartwright, S. (January 01, 2002). Double-Loop Learning: A Concept and Process for
Leadership Educators. Journal of Leadership Education, 1, 1, 68-71.
Alvesson, M., & Spicer, A. (2012). Critical leadership studies: The case for critical performativity. Human
relations, 65(3), 367-390.