Personal networks of women in residential and outpatient substance abuse treatment (original) (raw)

Changes in personal networks of women in residential and outpatient substance abuse treatment

Journal of Substance Abuse Treatment, 2013

Changes in personal network composition, support and structure over 12 months were examined in 377 women from residential (n = 119) and intensive outpatient substance abuse treatment (n = 258) through face-to-face interviews utilizing computer based data collection. Personal networks of women who entered residential treatment had more substance users, more people with whom they had used alcohol and/or drugs, and fewer people from treatment programs or self-help groups than personal networks of women who entered intensive outpatient treatment. By 12 months post treatment intake, network composition improved for women in residential treatment; however, concrete support was still lower and substance users are still more prevalent in their networks. Network composition of women in outpatient treatment remained largely the same over time. Both groups increased cohesiveness within the network over 12 months. Targeting interventions that support positive changes in personal networks may heighten positive long term outcomes for women entering treatment.

Substance Abuse Treatment Stage and Personal Networks of Women in Substance Abuse Treatment

Journal of the Society for Social Work and Research, 2012

This study examines the relationship among 4 treatment stages (i.e., engagement, persuasion, active treatment, relapse prevention) and the composition, social support, and structural characteristics of personal networks. The study sample includes 242 women diagnosed with substance dependence who were interviewed within their first month of intensive outpatient treatment. Using EgoNet software, the women reported on their 25 alter personal networks and the characteristics of each alter. With one exception, few differences were found in the network compositions at different stages of substance abuse treatment. The exception was the network composition of women in the active treatment stage, which included more network members from treatment programs or 12-Step meetings. Although neither the type nor amount of social support differed across treatment stages, reciprocity differed between women in active treatment and those in the engagement stage. Networks of women in active treatment w...

Personal Network Structure and Substance use in Women by 12Months Post Treatment Intake

Journal of substance abuse treatment, 2015

Women with substance use disorders enter treatment with limited personal network resources and reduced recovery support. This study examined the impact of personal networks on substance use by 12months post treatment intake. Data were collected from 284 women who received substance abuse treatment. At 6month follow up, composition, support availability and structure of personal networks were examined. Substance use was measured by women's report of any use of alcohol or drugs. Hierarchical multivariate logistic regression was conducted to examine the contribution of personal network characteristics on substance use by 12months post treatment intake. Higher numbers of substance using alters (network members) and more densely connected networks at 6month follow-up were associated with an increased likelihood of substance use by 12months post treatment intake. A greater number of isolates in women's networks was associated with decreased odds of substance use. Women who did not...

Pretreatment social network characteristics relate to increased risk of dropout and unfavorable outcomes among women in a residential treatment setting for substance use

Journal of Substance Abuse Treatment, 2020

Increased retention in residential treatment for substance use disorder (SUD) has been associated with more favorable clinical outcomes for residents. Yet SUD treatment dropout remains high. It is essential to uncover factors contributing to these high rates. Little is known about whether features of an individual's social network prior to treatment entry are related to number of days in treatment or to clinical status at treatment termination. To examine these relationships, we analyzed data from 241 women (58.5% Hispanic) entering an SUD residential treatment facility, who agreed to participate in a parent randomized control trial. We assessed characteristics of these women's social networks prior to treatment entry at baseline. We extracted clinician-determined progress at treatment termination and days in treatment two months after treatment entry from clinical records. Data-driven analyses using purposeful selection of predictors showed that the overall size of the social network was associated with increased likelihood of being classified as having achieved good clinical progress in treatment at termination and that number of drug users in the pretreatment social network was related to staying fewer days in treatment. Contrary to our hypothesis, we found no significant associations between other pretreatment social support network characteristics (i.e., social support) and treatment retention or clinical discharge status. Future research should examine how features of social networks change through treatment and how these changes relate to treatment outcomes. People Drugs and Alcohol scale (IPDA) and its predecessors (Important People and Activities Inventory, IPA; Important People Inventory, IPI) are empirically validated scales with good psychometric properties

Impact of trauma symptomatology on personal networks among substance using women

Drug and Alcohol Dependence, 2014

Background-Interpersonal trauma poses challenges and complications to the development and maintenance of personal networks of substance using women. Few studies have examined its effects on personal network support availability and quality of relationships, limiting our understanding of the social context in which substance using women with a history of trauma are embedded. Methods-Women with substance use disorders (SUD) who received treatment at three countyfunded, women-only intensive treatment programs (N = 375) were interviewed at intake and at follow ups 1, 6, and 12 months later. A network software program, Ego Net, elicited 25 network members per respondent, social support availability, and the quality of network relationship at each assessment. Trauma symptomatology was assessed with Trauma Symptom Checklist-40 at intake. Results-Findings from longitudinal mixed model analyses indicated that higher levels of trauma symptomatology were associated with both a negative, critical quality and less closeness in network relationships over the 12 month study period. However, trauma symptoms were not related to the number of network members reported as providing emotional, concrete, or sobriety support. Effects of trauma symptoms on the support availability in the network and the quality of network relationships were consistent over the follow-up period. Conclusions-Findings highlight the potential role of trauma symptoms in determining the quality of relationships within personal networks among women with SUD, suggesting the need for routine mapping of network relationships throughout treatment.

Social Support: A Mixed Blessing for Women in Substance Abuse Treatment

Journal of social work practice in the addictions, 2010

Using a personal social network framework, this qualitative study sought to understand how women in substance abuse treatment describe their network members' supportive and unsupportive behaviors related to recovery. Eighty-six women were interviewed from residential and outpatient substance abuse treatment programs. Positive and negative aspects of women's social networks were assessed via open-ended questions. Analysis was guided by grounded theory techniques using three coders. The findings extend classic social support concepts such as emotional, tangible, and informational support. Practice implications are presented in light of the potential roles network members may play in substance use and recovery.

Social Networks among Residents in Recovery Homes

Advances in psychology study, 2012

Although evidence exists that substance abuse abstinence is enhanced when individuals in recovery are embedded in social networks that are cohesive, few studies examined the network structures underlying recovery home support systems. In two studies, we investigated the mechanisms through which social environments affect health outcomes among two samples of adult residents of recovery homes. Findings from Study 1 (n = 150) indicated that network size and the presence of relationships with other Oxford House (OH) residents both predicted future abstinence. Study 2 (n = 490) included individuals who lived in an OH residence for up to 6 months, and their personal relationship with other house residents predicted future abstinence. Implications of these findings are discussed.

Investigating Social Support and Network Relationships in Substance use Disorder Recovery

Substance Abuse, 2015

Background Social support and characteristics of one's social network have been shown to be beneficial for abstinence and substance use disorder recovery. The current study explores how specific sources of social support relate to general feelings of social support and abstinence-specific self-efficacy. Methods Data were collected from 31 of 33 individuals residing in 5 recovery houses. Participants were asked to complete social support and social network measures, along with measures assessing abstinence from substance use, abstinence self-efficacy, and involvement in 12-step groups. Results A significant positive relationship was found between general social support and abstinence-specific self-efficacy. General social support was also significantly associated with the specific social support measures of sense of community and Alcoholics Anonymous (AA) affiliation. Social network size predicted abstinence-related factors such as AA affiliation and perceived stress. Conclusions...