Understanding Length of Stay in Recovery Homes.

Abstinence-specific social support within dyadic relationships is one of the best post-treatment prognostic indicators of recovery and is probably responsible for much of the effectiveness of self-help group participation. Acute treatment after-care in the form of sober-living environments-i.e.

The Oxford House Stability Questionnaire: An Effort to Classify Recovery Homes.

Recovery homes are located throughout the United States, with the self-governed Oxford Houses representing one of the largest networks with over 3000 homes. Although there is a growing literature on the characteristics and outcomes of these recovery homes, far less is known about differences among the homes. The current study used a set of characteristics that had been proposed by a leader within the Oxford House recovery movement, and a university research team operationalized them into what is now called the Oxford House Stability Questionnaire.

Spiritual Awakening in 12-Step Recovery: Impact Among Residential Aftercare Residents.

Spiritually-based interventions in the form of 12-step programs are frequently offered as a part of substance use treatment programs in the United States. Programs based in the 12 steps guarantee that by working their program, an individual will undergo a process of transformation labeled a spiritual awakening. However, the impact of this experience on recovery factors and treatment adherence is unclear.

Effects of strength of relationship ties in recovery homes: A conundrum.

Recovery homes are a widespread source of support for those attempting to maintain abstinence. For those who are able to remain in these settings for at least 6 months, outcomes tend to be favorable; however, many leave prematurely. There is a need to better understand the social integration processes that play a major role in giving recovery home residents access to available recovery-related social capital that is associated with better outcomes.

Complex Contexts within Oxford Houses: Psychiatrically Comorbid Social Networks.

This study aimed to explore whether there are differences between Oxford House recovery home residents with psychiatric comorbidity in their ability to form, maintain, and dissolve loaning ties and seek advice, when compared to Oxford House residents without comorbidity, and if differences do exist, are those ties mono- or bi-directional. Findings indicated unique interdependencies among individuals with psychiatric comorbidity for advice seeking, loaning, and recovery factor scores. The results of this investigation are consistent with the dynamic systems theory conceptions of community-based recovery.

Using Systems Theory to Improve Intervention Outcomes.

This article explores the potential of using systems methods for better conceptualizing the unexpected and complex sets of hurdles and opportunities that practicing psychologists frequently encounter. Examples are provided involving two distinct types of important clinical issues: 1) understanding how individuals maintain recovery from substance use disorders following treatment and 2) better understanding patients with chronic, unexplained post-viral illnesses. Traditional research methods used to explore these types of intricate social and medical issues have often lacked sophisticated dynamic systems-based perspectives, which could provide new insights into understanding how patient treatment gains can be maintained and how unexplained post-viral illnesses can be better understood.

Lived experiences of Oxford House residents prescribed medication-assisted treatment.

Qualitative studies have examined the recovery experiences of individuals prescribed medication-assisted treatment (MAT), including their experiences within treatment facilities. However, the literature lacks qualitative studies exploring the recovery process of individuals prescribed MAT while living in recovery housing, such as Oxford House (OH). The purpose of this study was to explore how OH residents, who are prescribed MAT, make sense of recovery.

Willingness to Lend Resources is Associated with Increases in Recovery and Participation in Community Activities.

Recovery homes may facilitate individuals with substance use disorders re-integration back into community settings by providing friendship, resources, and advice. Participants of the current study were over 600 residents of 42 Oxford House recovery homes. Findings indicated that willingness to share resources in the form of loans was associated with higher levels of house involvement in recovery home chapters.

Understanding recovery Capital in relation to categorical 12-Step involvement and abstinence social support.

Background: Although recovery capital represents various resources for persons recovering from substance use disorders, measures of this construct examine components that might not necessarily reflect the recovery goals of individuals who base their recovery through involvement in 12-step groups such as Alcoholics Anonymous (AA) and Narcotics Anonymous (NA). It is not clear whether 12-step involvement is related to recovery capital, particularly among individuals living in recovery homes who utilize social networks of recovering peers for their recovery. Thus, categorical involvement in a set of 12-step activities was examined in relation to recovery capital and abstinence social support.

Dynamic Interdependence of Advice Seeking, Loaning, and Recovery Characteristics in Recovery Homes.

Recovery homes in the US provide stable housing for over 200,000 individuals with past histories of homelessness, psychiatric co-morbidity and criminal justice involvement. We need to know more about how these settings help those remain in recovery. Our study measured advice seeking and willingness-to-loan relationships and operationalized them as a dynamic multiplex social network-multiple, simultaneous interdependent relationships--that exist within 42 Oxford House recovery homes over time.

House Level Latent Classes as Predictors of Recovery and Evictions.

The current study explored whether substance abuse recovery houses could be categorized into meaningful classes, which might be associated with house evictions as well as changes in individual-level recovery capital. A total of 602 individuals from 42 recovery homes were followed for up to 6 data collection periods over 2 years. House level latent class analyses were based on house-level data.

Individual and Contextual Protective and Risk Characteristics for Residents of Recovery Homes.

Some recovery homes have facilitating relationships and organizational characteristics, and there are also social capital differences among residents of these recovery homes. It is important to better understand the impact of protective and risk individual and house factors on recovery issues among residents of these community-based settings. Individuals from 42 recovery homes were followed for up to six data collection periods over two years.

Social integration in recovery living environments: A dynamic network approach.

Oxford Houses (OHs) are a large network of self-run community-based settings for individuals with substance use disorders. This present study explored a model based on conceptualizing recovery home social systems as dynamic multirelational (multiplex) social networks. The model is developed from data obtained from 42 OH recovery homes in three parts of the US, addressing whole networks of friendship, close friendship, and willingness to loan money.

An examination of abstinence social support among recovery home residents with psychiatric comorbidity.

Background: Although social support is a resource that helps persons in their recovery from substance use disorders, it is not clear whether specific types buffer the effects of stress and optimize outcomes for those with psychiatric comorbidity. This investigation examined two types of social support in relation to lengths of stay to identify mechanisms related to retention among individuals with psychiatric comorbidity living in community-based settings.

Methods: Baseline rates of social support (abstinence specific and general types) and stress were examined in relation to follow-up lengths of stay (at four-months and beyond) among individuals (N = 368) with psychiatric comorbidity (n = 90) and no psychiatric comorbidity (n = 278) living in community-based settings (Oxford Houses) in the U.

Medication assisted therapy and recovery homes.

There is a need to better understand improved recovery supportive services for those on Medication Assisted Treatment (MAT) for opioid use disorder (OUD) and, at the same time, enhance the available treatment interventions and positive long-term outcomes for this vulnerable population. A growing empirical literature supports the assertion that improved access to housing and recovery support is a low-cost, high-potential opportunity that could help former substance users who are utilizing MAT to sustain their recovery. Recovery home support could serve the populations that need them most, namely servicing a significant number of the enrolled in MAT programs.

Recovery homes coping with COVID-19.

Recovery homes are a widespread community resource that might be utilized by some individuals with substance use disorders (SUD) and COVID-19. A growing collection of empirical literature suggests that housing can act as a low-cost recovery support system which could be effective in helping those with SUD sustain their recovery. Such settings could be already housing many residents affected by COVID-19.

Individuals in sober living: Effects of contact with substance using family members.

This study examines the effects that substance-using family members have on those working to maintain recovery from substance use disorder. Participants ( = 229) were recruited from Oxford Houses (OH) across North Carolina, Texas, and Oregon. A stepwise linear regression with variables including abstinence self-efficacy, gender, substance use, attendance of Alcoholics Anonymous, and conflict with family and non-family was run to examine associations between the amount of substance using family members in the participant's social network.

An Examination of Psychiatric Severity and Social Cohesion Outcomes within Oxford Houses.

It is estimated that nearly 20 million adults in the United States have a substance use disorder (SUD), and 8.4 million of those adults have a comorbid mental disorder. Roughly half of those adults with a SUD and a psychiatric comorbidity fail to receive adequate treatment for either the SUD or the mental disorder (combined or separately).

The Emergence, Role, and Impact of Recovery Support Services.

Various community recovery support services help sustain positive behavior change for individuals with alcohol and drug use disorders. This article reviews the rationale, origins, emergence, prevalence, and empirical research on a variety of recovery support services in U.S.

Exploring possible network properties facilitating recovery for residents of sober living homes.

Background: Recovery homes provide supportive settings for thousands of individuals with substance use disorders each year. However, not all residents of recovery homes improve in these settings, and the reasons for both improvement and lack of improvement are still unclear. It is possible that those low in recovery might benefit when they are in settings with high recovery residents.

Reducing health disparities among black individuals in the post-treatment environment.

An important step in reducing health disparities among racial and ethnic minorities with substance use disorders involves identifying interventions that lead to successful recovery outcomes for this population. The current study evaluated outcomes of a community-based recovery support program for those with substance use disorders. Participants included 632 residents of recovery homes in three states in the US.

Medications for Opioid Use Disorder Utilization Among Oxford House Residents.

Medications for opioid use disorder (MOUD) and recovery homes that have traditionally served those not taking medications for their recovery are important resources for treating opioid use disorder. However, little is known whether such recovery homes are a good fit for persons utilizing MOUD, and whether residents' characteristics such as drug histories and the composition of recovery homes in terms MOUD and non-MOUD residents are related to attitudes toward MOUD. The present investigation examined characteristics of persons utilizing MOUD, and attitudes regarding MOUD utilization among residents living in recovery homes (Oxford Houses, OH) in the U.

The relationship of Oxford Houses across heterogeneous house and setting characteristics.

Oxford Houses (OH) are democratically run, self-funded, substance-use recovery homes that operate across the United States and internationally. Previous research shows the OHs are present in diverse neighborhoods. The current study examined the neighborhoods of 42 OHs located in Oregon, Texas, and North Carolina to better quantify and understand house and neighborhood characteristics that are related to relapse rates.

A promising recovery housing model for American Indian communities.

In 2016, two Oxford House (OH) recovery homes were established for the Suquamish Tribal reservation. A group of researchers interviewed house members and key individuals responsible for the creation of these two unique OHs. Because American Indians are an at-risk population for substance use disorders, our study explored whether an OH-type recovery home model could be successfully adapted to this population, given the specific nature of tribal cultures.