Thomas G. Kimball

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.

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.

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.

Functional near infrared spectroscopy as a potential biological assessment of addiction recovery: preliminary findings

Abstract Background: Addiction science has primarily utilized self-report, continued substance use, and relapse factors to explore the process of recovery. However, the entry into successful abstinence substantially reduces our assessment abilities. Advances in neuroscience may be the key to objective understanding, treating, and monitoring long-term success in addiction recovery. Objectives: To explore functional near infrared spectroscopy (fNIR) as a viable technique in the assessment of addiction-cue reactivity. Specifically, prefrontal cortex (PFC) activation to alcohol cues was explored among formally alcohol-dependent individuals, across varying levels of successful abstinence. The aim of the investigation was to identify patterns of PFC activation change consistent with duration of abstinence. Methods: A total of 15 formally alcohol-dependent individuals, with abstinence durations ranging from 1 month to 10 years, viewed alcohol images during fNIR PFC assessment. Participants also subjectively rated the same images for affect and arousal level. Results: Subjective ratings of alcohol cues did not significantly correlate with duration of abstinence. As expected, days of abstinence did not significantly correlate with neutral cue fNIR reactivity. However, for alcohol cues, fNIR results showed increased days of abstinence was associated with decreased activation within the dorsolateral and dorsomedial prefrontal cortex regions. Conclusions: The present results suggest that fNIR may be a viable tool in the assessment of addiction-cue reactivity. Results also support previous findings on the importance of dorsolateral and dorsomedial PFC in alcohol-cue activation. The findings build upon these past results suggesting that fNIR-assessed activation may represent a robust biological marker of successful addiction recovery.

Collegiate Recovery Programs.

More than ever, people are seeking substance use disorder treatment during the adolescent and young adult stages of development. Developmentally, many of these young adults new to recovery are in the process of making career decisions that may require attendance at a college or university. However, the collegiate environment is not conducive to a recovery lifestyle. Since the 1980s, several colleges and universities have implemented Collegiate Recovery Programs, offering students “safe havens” where they can obtain support from other students in recovery and from staff while they pursue a college education. The collegiate recovery programs have been successful at graduating students and supporting their recovery. Today, there are more than 75 collegiate recovery programs already established or in the process of development, serving more than 500 students across the United States. Although the various programs offer different types of services, each one seems to be having some type of success based on the research thus far. This article describes the emerging adult population of recovering college students, the history of Collegiate Recovery Programs, and what they offer.

The Development of the Hope and Coping in Recovery Measure (HCRM)

A large body of research exists on the causes, effects/consequences, and treatment of substance use disorder (SUD). However, studies on recovery from SUD, including its definition, factors, and sustainability, are lacking. The purpose of this study is to identify and assess the factors of recovery from SUD by developing and testing the Hope and Coping in Recovery Measure (HCRM). A principal components analysis revealed two distinct factors (hope and coping) to be present in the process of recovery from SUD. Implications for future research on the recovery process and the HCRM are discussed.

A Sense of Sisterhood: A Qualitative Case Study of a Flexibly Structured, Long-Term Therapy Group for Divorced Women

This study incorporated ethnographic and phenomenological components to understand the individual and group experience of women who participated in a long-term, flexibly structured group for divorced women. Data included focus groups with both the participants (n = 3) and therapists (n = 4); individual interviews with the woman (n = 6) and therapists (n = 7); and transcripts from 22 different sessions that spanned the life of the group (12 that specifically focused on transitions within the group and 10 that were randomly chosen). Emerging themes centered on the positive experience of the group, the group as a safe place, the collaborative process of the group, and the gender-split of the therapists. Attachment theory, feminist ideology, and collaborative language systems are used to further explore the findings. Based on these results specific clinical implications are addressed that may help clinicians who work with women dealing with divorce.

Using the Satisfaction with Organization Scale (SOS)

Abstract The purpose of this article is to compare the original Satisfaction with Organization Scale (SOS) conducted with employees of “distressed” organizations to another sample gathered from employees who work in “non-distressed” organizations/EA work environments. The authors report a statistically significant difference between the two samples. In addition, further evidence of the validity and reliability of the SOS is presented. In the discussion section of this article, the authors explore how the comparison of the two samples helps EA professionals interpret data gathered from the instrument in order to give meaningful feedback to work organizations. Potential cut-off scores for the SOS are offered with a challenge for continued development of evaluative tools within the EA field.

Hoping and Coping in Recovery: A Phenomenology of Emerging Adults in a Collegiate Recovery Program

ABSTRACT Addiction is a chronic brain disease affecting millions of people. A particularly vulnerable group is emerging adults (age 18–25 years). As more emerging adults are seeking help and entering a recovery process, relevant studies on their experiences in recovery increases. Although the definition of abstinence-based recovery is debated, the factors of hope and coping are important related to this dialogue. This phenomenology explores the experience of emerging adults in recovery who are members of a collegiate recovery program. Through interviews, eight participants described their recovery experience with a focus on hope and coping. Categories and themes related to participants’ experience of recovery in relation to hope and coping are reported. Implications for the field and our understanding of emerging adults in recovery are presented, as well as future research ideas exploring this population.