TY - JOUR
T1 - New converts and seasoned campaigners: the role of social identity at different stages in the addiction recovery journey
AU - Frings, Daniel
AU - Wood, Kerry
AU - Albery, Ian
PY - 2021/4/26
Y1 - 2021/4/26
N2 - Social identities associated with recovery are protective of relapse from addiction. How such identities develop and differentially link to outcomes at different points of the recovery journey and across multiple recovery attempts is relatively unknown. The current study utilised a pre-existing cross-sectional dataset (n=237 Alcoholics Anonymous (AA) members, 50% male, 49.4% female and 0.6% female-to-male, aged between 19 and 71 years) to explore these issues. Relationships between AA identity, quit efficacy (a proxy for recovery maintenance) and AA meeting attendance (over the last month) were tested. The moderating effects of length of AA attendance during the current recovery episode and first vs subsequent quit attempts on the identity-efficacy link was also tested. Levels of social identity were stable amongst those in the early in their current recovery through to those who have more experience, but the relationships between identity and efficacy differed. While those early on in their current AA attendance showed a positive relationship between identities and frequency of attending meetings, those with more long-standing attendance reported social identification unrelated to involvement. Our results suggest that social identities may be particularly protective for those who are on their first quit, suggesting recovery formation and transition may be a priority.
AB - Social identities associated with recovery are protective of relapse from addiction. How such identities develop and differentially link to outcomes at different points of the recovery journey and across multiple recovery attempts is relatively unknown. The current study utilised a pre-existing cross-sectional dataset (n=237 Alcoholics Anonymous (AA) members, 50% male, 49.4% female and 0.6% female-to-male, aged between 19 and 71 years) to explore these issues. Relationships between AA identity, quit efficacy (a proxy for recovery maintenance) and AA meeting attendance (over the last month) were tested. The moderating effects of length of AA attendance during the current recovery episode and first vs subsequent quit attempts on the identity-efficacy link was also tested. Levels of social identity were stable amongst those in the early in their current recovery through to those who have more experience, but the relationships between identity and efficacy differed. While those early on in their current AA attendance showed a positive relationship between identities and frequency of attending meetings, those with more long-standing attendance reported social identification unrelated to involvement. Our results suggest that social identities may be particularly protective for those who are on their first quit, suggesting recovery formation and transition may be a priority.
KW - Medicine (miscellaneous)
KW - Health(social science)
U2 - 10.1080/09687637.2021.1914551
DO - 10.1080/09687637.2021.1914551
M3 - Article
SN - 0968-7637
SP - 496
EP - 503
JO - Drugs, Education, Prevention and Policy
JF - Drugs, Education, Prevention and Policy
ER -