Kitty S. Harris

Achieving Systems-Based Sustained Recovery: A Comprehensive Model for Collegiate Recovery Communities

ABSTRACT The Center for the Study of Addiction and Recovery (CSAR) (a Center within the College of Human Sciences at Texas Tech University, TTU), has developed a comprehensive Collegiate Recovery Community (CRC). This community provides a model of support and relapse prevention for college students recovering from addictive behaviors—primarily alcohol/drug addiction. This model is specifically targeted for implementation in the college/university setting and has been used at TTU for 20 years. The purpose of this paper is to briefly review the literature related to substance use among college-aged individuals, discuss the challenges of recovery within this population, describe existing collegiate programs, and provide an extensive description of the CRC model. The CRC model specifically incorporates recovery support, access to higher education/educational support, peer support, family support, and community support/service in an effort to help individuals attain what we describe as systems-based sustained recovery. Preliminary evidence of success indicates that support services offered by the CRC work for the current population as evidenced by an average relapse rate of only 8%, a graduation rate of 70%, and an average GPA of 3.18 among members. Limitations of the model and plans for future research are also discussed.

Collegiate Recovery Communities Programs: What Do We Know and What Do We Need to Know?

As the broad construct of recovery increasingly guides addiction services and policy, federal agencies have called for the expansion of peer-driven recovery support services. The high prevalence of substance use and abuse in colleges and universities in the United States constitutes a significant obstacle to pursuing an education for the unknown number of youths who have attained remission from substance use dependence. Collegiate recovery programs (CRPs) are an innovative and growing model of peer-driven recovery support delivered on college campuses. Although no systematic research has examined CRPs, available site-level records suggest encouraging outcomes: low relapse rates and above-average academic achievement. The number of CRPs nationwide is growing, but there is a noticeable lack of data on the model, its students, and their outcomes. We review the literature supporting the need for the expansion of CRPs, present information on the diversity of CRP services, and outline key areas where research is needed.

It Has Made College Possible for Me: Feedback on the Impact of a University-Based Center for Students in Recovery

Objective: The authors aimed to gain information on (1) the challenges for recovering students on a university campus and (2) the most helpful components of a collegiate recovery program. Participants: The 15 students in the study were all in recovery from substance abuse. They entered the university and also entered the campus recovery program either in fall 2002 or fall 2003. Methods: Semistructured interviews were conducted with students multiple times during their first academic year. Results: Participants identified several challenges on the university campus. Many believed they would have dropped out of school or relapsed without the support of the recovery program, and they described aspects of the program that were particularly important to them. Conclusions: Support from a campus recovery program is essential for many recovering students. There are a variety of recovery program components that can foster the sense of community that was so important to the students in this study.

The Role of Social Support in Collegiate Recovery Communities: A Review of the Literature

In the past decades one response to the increase of college drinking is the growing prevalence of Collegiate Recovery Communities (CRC). Numerous publications on these programs exist, yet a review does not. With a growing need for evidence-based model programs to address the concerns of alcohol abuse and dependence on college campuses, the importance of a collection on the effectiveness of CRCs exists. The goal of this article is to compile a thorough overview of data on CRCs in the United States, focusing specifically on the role of social support in recovery maintenance. Recommendations for future directions are discussed.

Characteristics of students participating in collegiate recovery programs: a national survey.

Relapse rates are high among individuals with substance use disorders (SUD), and for young people pursuing a college education, the high rates of substance use on campus can jeopardize recovery. Collegiate Recovery Programs (CRPs) are an innovative campus-based model of recovery support that is gaining popularity but remains under-investigated. This study reports on the first nationwide survey of CRP-enrolled students (N = 486 from 29 different CRPs). Using an online survey, we collected information on background, SUD and recovery history, and current functioning. Most students (43% females, mean age =26) had used multiple substances, had high levels of SUD severity, high rates of treatment and 12-step participation. Fully 40% smoke. Many reported criminal justice involvement and periods of homelessness. Notably, many reported being in recovery from, and currently engaging in multiple behavioral addictions-e.g., eating disorders, and sex and love addiction. Findings highlight the high rates of co-occurring addictions in this under-examined population and underline the need for treatment, recovery support programs and college health services to provide integrated support for mental health and behavioral addictions to SUD--affected young people.

Important Factors of Early Addiction Recovery and Inpatient Treatment

Research is needed that confirms inpatient treatment outcomes and evaluates patient typologies. Factors of early recovery and inpatient treatment are examined to (1) support inpatient treatment effectiveness research, (2) explore impacts on outcomes of patient differences (collegiate vs. traditional), and (3) learn about factors that influence inpatient treatment effectiveness. Overall, 95 of 149 (63.8%) participants were classified as progressing in readiness for change from pre to post treatment. Second, a MANCOVA showed significant increases in hope, resiliency, and family functioning and decreases in craving from pre- to posttreatment. Expectations of significant differences in rates of change of treatment outcome variables between traditional and collegiate recovery programs were partially supported.

An Idiographic Examination of Day-to-Day Patterns of Substance Use Craving, Negative Affect, and Tobacco Use among Young Adults in Recovery.

Psychological constructs, such as negative affect and substance use cravings that closely predict relapse, show substantial intraindividual day-to-day variability. This intraindividual variability of relevant psychological states combined with the “one day at a time” nature of sustained abstinence warrant a day-to-day investigation of substance use recovery. This study examines day-to-day associations among substance use cravings, negative affect, and tobacco use among 30 college students in 12-step recovery from drug and alcohol addictions. To account for individual variability in day-to-day process, it applies an idiographic approach. The sample of 20 males and 10 females (mean age = 21) was drawn from members of a collegiate recovery community at a large university. Data were collected with end-of-day data collections taking place over an average of 26.7 days. First-order vector autoregression models were fit to each individual predicting daily levels of substance use cravings, negative affect, and tobacco use from the same 3 variables 1 day prior. Individual model results demonstrated substantial interindividual differences in intraindividual recovery process. Based on estimates from individual models, cluster analyses were used to group individuals into 2 homogeneous subgroups. Group comparisons demonstrate distinct patterns in the day-to-day associations among substance use cravings, negative affect, and tobacco use, suggesting the importance of idiographic approaches to recovery management and that the potential value of focusing on negative affect or tobacco use as prevention targets depends on idiosyncratic processes.

Relapse Resilience: A Process Model of Addiction and Recovery

Three phases exist in addressing substance use and dependence: prevention, treatment, and recovery. Recovery is perhaps the most essential stage on the continuum of substance dependence, yet it has failed to receive adequate attention in the literature. This article introduces a relapse resilient systemic Process Model of Addiction and Recovery for recovery. Case examples illustrate the use of a systemic approach in recovering individuals.

Collegiate Recovery Communities: What They Are and How They Support Recovery

Nearly 2 million American men and women are annually treated for substance abuse (SAMHSA, 2002). Unfortunately, as most substance abuse patients will relapse within a year or even within the first few months (Weisner, Matzger, & Kaskutas, 2002; Bond, Kaskutas, & Weisner, 2003), it is clear that treatment alone does not translate into long-term abstinence. What appears to help many but certainly not all of those wishing to remain abstinent is affiliating with mutual help support groups, such as Alcoholics Anonymous (AA) or Narcotics Anonymous (NA) (Emrick, Tonigan, Montgomery, & Little, 1993; Tonigan, Miller, & Connors, 2000; Tonigan, Tocova, & Miller, 1996).

Multifamily Groups in Recovery: A Revised Multifamily Curriculum

The Center for the Study of Addiction and Recovery (CSAR; a center within the College of Human Sciences at Texas Tech University) operates a Collegiate Recovery Community. This community provides a model of support and relapse prevention for college students recovering from addictive behaviors—primarily alcohol and drug addiction. In addition, the CSAR provides the clinical management for an inpatient alcohol and drug treatment facility, The Ranch at Dove Tree (DTR). Professionals at DTR work with individuals using a number of different therapeutic techniques including individual therapy, gender-specific group therapy, multifamily therapy groups, trauma groups, and life skills groups. This article presents a revised multifamily group curriculum developed by the authors and originally tested in an outpatient treatment program. This revised multifamily curriculum was implemented as part of the multifamily programs of both the CSAR and DTR. Preliminary feedback gathered as part of the CSAR family program is presented.