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. The fact that OHs are drug-free recovery housing is what makes the issue of using MATs potentially contentious in these settings. Interpretative phenomenological analysis (IPA) was used to document the lived experiences of individuals prescribed MAT in OH. The sample included: five women and three men, prescribed either methadone or Suboxone, that were living in an OH in the United States. Participants were interviewed on four topics: their recovery process, their transition to OH, and their experience living in and outside of an OH. Analysis of results followed the recommendations for IPA from Smith, Flowers, and Larkin. Four general themes emerged from the data: Recovery Process, Managing Logistics of MAT Utilization, Personal Development, and Familial Values. In conclusion, individuals prescribed MAT did benefit from living in an OH to manage their recovery as well as stay compliant with their medication.

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 (N = 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. The abstinence self-efficacy mean score, gender, and days of serious conflict with non-family members were significantly associated with total number of substance-using family members in a participant's social network. These results may indicate that OH's serve as a buffer between substance using family members and one's abstinence self-efficacy. It remains unclear if individuals are at an increased risk of relapse from this familial influence when perceived abstinence self-efficacy drops. If so, OH residents could benefit from interventions that help them maintain their perceived abstinence self-efficacy.

"It's like a Brotherhood": Thematic analysis of veterans' identity processes in substance abuse recovery homes.

This exploratory study aimed to understand how veterans' social identity influenced their experiences living in Oxford Houses (OH)-the largest network of substance use recovery homes in the United States. We conducted three focus groups, with 20 veterans who were current or former OH residents. Thematic analysis revealed several ways in which participants' veteran identity influenced their experiences living in OH, including: (1) thriving through OH organizational similarities with the military, (2) relationships with other OH residents, and (3) and growth and reintegration. The themes were interpreted using the Social Identity Theory and the Social Identity Model of Identity Change perspectives. Social identity processes were found to play an influential role in veterans' experiences in their recovery homes and reintegration into civilian life. Findings highlight the importance of veterans developing a community within a culturally congruent setting to facilitate their recovery from substance use disorders and adjustment to life post-military service.

Housing, Relationships, and Substance Use among Formerly Incarcerated Females.

The need for housing is an important concern for most women about to be released from prison, especially by those that need substance use treatment. This study explored the association between housing settings, relationships, and substance use. Two hundred adult females that had endorsed previous incarceration within the past two years participated in the initial baseline study. This study used multi-level modeling to analyze if housing settings and/or relationships within a living condition are associated with substance use. Results indicated that participants in homeless, and mutual settings used substances significantly more than participants in their own house or apartment. Participants that were in controlled, residential and transitional settings used significantly less than those living in their own house or apartment. Living with parents, family, or sexual partner significantly increased substance use. Utilizing these results to plan housing arrangements before women are released from correctional facilities may be beneficial for substance use recovery. Currently, there is no literature that directly measures the relationship between distinct housing settings, as well as the relationships that exist within them and substance use.

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. communities that may influence the likelihood of sustained recovery. The community recovery support services reviewed include recovery high schools, collegiate recovery programs, recovery homes, recovery coaches, and recovery community centers. Many individuals are not provided with the types of environmental supports needed to solidify and support their recovery, so there is a need for more research on who may be best suited for these services as well as when, why, and how they confer benefit.

Fostering Well-being through Social Support: The Role of Evangelical Communities in the Lives of Dominican Women of Haitian Descent.

Women of Haitian descent living in the Dominican Republic experience oppression due to their gender, ethnicity, and economic status. They also exhibit high rates of participation in evangelical Christian communities, a paradoxical finding given the restricted roles women have traditionally played in these settings. The goals of this study were to explore the perceived benefits of participation in evangelical communities and the setting characteristics that lead to these benefits. The research team interviewed 19 current and former church participants aged 18-59. Thematic analysis revealed three perceived benefits of congregational life. Participants viewed their participation as: (a) an opportunity for personal growth and development; (b) protective against negative social influences; and (c) providing social support in the face of life challenges. In addition, dependable, expected, and reciprocal relational support was a key characteristic of evangelical communities. Findings extend the current understanding of how religious communities enhance well-being for marginalized women through social support networks. Findings also explore the dialectical nature of settings as both empowering and disempowering. Implications for future interventions are discussed.

Development and initial psychometric examination of the Home Safety and Beautification Assessment in mothers referred to treatment by child welfare agents.

Unintentional injury is the leading cause of death among children, with approximately 45% of injuries occurring in and around the home. Rates of home injury are particularly high in the homes of caregivers who are referred for intervention services by child welfare agents. However, there are few validated methods of home safety assessment available. The Home Safety and Beautification Assessment (HSBA) was developed to assist intervention planning specific to home safety and appearance in a sample of 77 mothers who were referred to treatment by Child Welfare Services. Exploratory factor analysis of HSBA items indicated that safety and appearance factors emerged across rooms in the home, and internal consistencies were good. For each room, the sums of assessors' safety and appearance intervention priority item scores were correlated with the assessors' global safety and appearance ratings of the entire home, respectively. The participants' overall room attractiveness scores were correlated with the assessors' overall room appearance intervention priority scores, whereas the participants' ratings of overall room safety were not correlated with the assessors' overall room safety intervention priority scores. Participants' scores on the Abuse subscale of the Child Abuse Potential Inventory, personal income, and education level were not associated with the assessors' home safety and appearance intervention priority ratings, suggesting the HSBA is assessing constructs that are distinct from child abuse potential and socioeconomic status. The results support the HSBA in a sample referred to treatment by child welfare agents. (PsycINFO Database Record

Smoking Behaviors and Attitudes Among Clients and Staff at New York Addiction Treatment Programs Following a Smoking Ban: Findings After 5 Years.

INTRODUCTION: Addiction treatment clients are more likely to die of tobacco-related diseases than of alcohol or illicit drug-related causes. We aimed to assess smoking behavior, and smoking-related attitudes and services, in New York addiction treatment programs before a statewide smoking ban in treatment facilities was implemented (2008), 1 year (2009) and 5 years after implementation (2013). METHODS: We conducted surveys at each time point with clients (N = 329, 341, and 353, respectively) and staff (N = 202, 203, and 166, respectively) from five residential and two methadone maintenance programs in New York State. At each data collection wave, questionnaires measured smoking behavior as well as smoking-related knowledge, attitudes, and experiences with tobacco cessation services as part of addiction treatment. RESULTS: Staff smoking prevalence decreased from 35.2% in 2008 to 21.8% in 2013 (P = .005) while client smoking prevalence over the same period was unchanged (68.1% vs. 66.0%, P = .564). Among clients who smoked, mean cigarettes per day decreased from 13.7 (SD = 8.38) to 10.2 (SD = 4.44; P < .001). There were significant time-by-treatment-type interactions for client tobacco-related attitudes and cessation services received; and for staff self-efficacy and cessation services provided. In residential programs, scores for most items decreased (became less positive) in 2009 followed by a partial rebound in 2013. Methadone program scores tended to rise (become more positive) throughout the study period. CONCLUSIONS: Staff and clients may respond differentially to tobacco-free policies depending on type of treatment program, and this finding may help to inform the implementation of tobacco-free policies in other statewide addiction treatment systems.