Professional Help-Seeking Attitudes and Behaviors among Ethnic Minorities Affected by Gambling and Substance Use Disorders
Author
Chaaban, Reem Bassel
Term
4. term
Education
Publication year
2026
Abstract
International studies indicate that ethnic minorities are overrepresented among people with gambling and substance use problems while being underrepresented in professional treatment—a pattern that has been little explored in Denmark. This thesis examines factors shaping professional help-seeking attitudes and behaviors among ethnic minorities in Denmark with gambling and substance-related problems, focusing on the roles of self-stigma, perceived discrimination, and other barriers. Drawing on a literature review and an anonymous survey that combined open-ended questions with scales measuring self-stigma and subjective discrimination, the study employed thematic analysis. Three themes emerged: the roles of shame, stigma, and honor; mistrust of professionals and a turn to family; and a preference for self-sufficiency. The most commonly reported barrier was mistrust in the effectiveness of professional treatment, with participants also reporting moderate to high life impact of addiction and moderate levels of self-stigma and perceived discrimination. Consistent with international findings, the results suggest a substantial gap between need and use of professional services among ethnic minorities in Denmark, shaped by stigma, mistrust, and cultural understandings of addiction, alongside a tendency to seek alternative support or manage problems independently. The thesis offers exploratory insights in a Danish context and highlights the need for more tailored support and further research.
International forskning peger på, at etniske minoriteter er overrepræsenteret blandt personer med spilleproblemer og stofbrugslidelser, men samtidig underrepræsenteret i professionel behandling—en tendens, der kun er sparsomt undersøgt i Danmark. Dette speciale undersøger, hvilke faktorer der påvirker professionelle hjælpsøgningsholdninger og -adfærd blandt etniske minoriteter i Danmark med problemer relateret til spil og rusmidler, herunder betydningen af selvestigmatisering, oplevet diskrimination og andre barrierer. Med afsæt i et litteraturreview og en anonym spørgeskemaundersøgelse, der kombinerede åbne spørgsmål med skalaer for selvestigma og subjektiv diskrimination, blev der gennemført en tematisk analyse. Analysen identificerede tre gennemgående temaer: Skam, stigma og ære; mistillid til professionelle og et skifte mod familien; samt præference for selvhjulpenhed. Den hyppigst nævnte barriere var mistillid til behandlingens effektivitet, mens deltagere samtidig rapporterede moderat til høj livspåvirkning af afhængigheden og moderate niveauer af selvestigma og oplevet diskrimination. Fundene flugter med international forskning og peger på et betydeligt gab mellem behov og brug af professionel hjælp blandt etniske minoriteter i Danmark, hvor stigma, mistillid og kulturelle forståelser af afhængighed former hjælpsøgning—ofte med prioritering af alternativ støtte eller at klare sig selv. Specialet bidrager med eksplorative indsigter i en dansk kontekst og understreger behovet for mere målrettede indsatser og videre forskning.
[This abstract has been generated with the help of AI directly from the project full text]