Depressive symptoms, stress, and coping among women recovering from addiction.

This article focuses on the variability in well-being of 102 women in continuous recovery from addiction for 1 to 5 years. Univariate and bivariate analyses of cross-sectional data on recent depressive symptomatology, and psychosocial stress and coping strategies before and during recovery yielded the following findings: (a) Nearly a third of the sample reported scores above the 16-point cut-off on the Center for Epidemiologic Studies Depression Scale, indicating risk for depression; (b) over half had a history of diagnosed depression; (c) perceived stress in 16 life domains significantly decreased from prerecovery to recovery; (d) by recovery, participants significantly increase their use of positive strategies, but they continued use some negative ones; and (e) risk for high depressive symptomatology was greatest among those who were married or cohabiting, had a history of clinical of depression, high perceived stress in areas of money and emotional and physical health. Findings are discussed in terms of their implications for treatment and aftercare.

Women in recovery from drug misuse: an exploratory study of their social networks and social support.

This cross-sectional research examined the effects of ethnicity, age, and primary drug (alcohol or other drug) on recovering women's social network size and social support. Study participants included 21 African-American, 39 Anglo-American, and 3 Mexican-American women in continuous recovery for a minimum of 6 months. Study findings demonstrated statistically significant increases in social network size and in the amount of social support received from pretreatment to posttreatment recovery periods. Ethnicity, age, and primary drug had little effect on social network size and amount of social support received.

Community's role in the promotion of recovery from addiction and prevention of relapse among women: an exploratory study.

OBJECTIVE: This exploratory study examined the community's role in the promotion of recovery from addiction and the prevention of relapse among women, and the differences in women's addiction and recovery by ethnicity. Community was defined as six institutions: home, church, workplace, school, law enforcement and medical care system. METHODS: The study sample consisted of 39 Anglo and 24 ethnic minority women (21 African American; 3 Hispanic) between the ages of 21 and 70, living along the Gulf Coast of Texas, who had been in continuous recovery from addiction to alcohol or other drugs for at least six months. The study was cross-sectional, and data were collected through the use of structured interviews utilizing the Women in Recovery Questionnaire, an instrument developed by the investigative team. RESULTS: This study found that community institutions (church, school, home, workplace and law enforcement and medical systems) were seldom involved in promoting recovery or preventing relapse in women, with the exception of the home, which supported recovery. Anglo and ethnic minority women differed by primary drug usage, number of times in treatment, religion, perception of sexism, and likelihood of citations for traffic violations. CONCLUSION: Large, randomized studies are needed to investigate the community's role in women's recovery from alcohol and other drugs.