Social integration in recovery living environments: A dynamic network approach

Effects of strength of relationship ties in recovery homes: A conundrum

Recovery homes are a widespread source of support for those attempting to maintain abstinence. For those who are able to remain in these settings for at least 6 months, outcomes tend to be favorable; however, many leave prematurely. There is a need to better understand the social integration processes that play a major role in giving recovery home residents access to available recovery-related social capital that is associated with better outcomes. The current study involved Oxford House recovery homes in 3 states and examined the strength of relationship ties among house members. We found that those who associated with peers who have higher recovery scores tend to improve their own recovery scores over time. However, we also found that those with higher recovery scores tended to create "strong" ties with similarly high-scoring alters; likewise lower-scoring individuals preferentially formed strong ties with each other. These findings suggest a conundrum: recovery home residents most in need of relational support from more recovered housemates are the least likely to obtain it. We discuss possible pathways to creating more ties between high and low-recovered residents.

Benefits of Continuing Linkages to Recovery Homes Following Departure

There is a need to better understand social mechanisms that increase or decrease successful departures from recovery homes. A prior study found that involuntary departure as well as one’s personal social capital were important to sustaining recovery following the departure from recovery homes. Little is known about what house contextual or interpersonal factors explain who successfully exits these recovery settings. In the present study, we examined continued linkages to Oxford House recovery homes following departure, using questions concerning 1. Continuing to visit their previous recovery home, 2. Maintaining contact with the Oxford House Organization, 3. Continuing to see people they saw as residents following departure, and 4. Continuing to attend the same AA/NA meetings that had been attended as an Oxford House resident. Residents with continued linkages to the recovery home were found to evidence significant increases in self-efficacy as well as abstinence following departure. For those that remained most linked by answering all four questions positively, 95% remained abstinent following leaving the recovery homes. The implications of these findings are discussed in terms of possible changes in constructing a new social identity.