Gratitude in Community-Based Treatment

• In Event: Community-Based Programs and Interventions

Abstract

Persons in treatment for substance use disorder (SUD) have traditionally experienced stigma in relation to their justice system involvement. Novel mixed methods data collected between 2021-23, as part of an experiment with persons who are Medicaid recipients or uninsured and receiving community-based treatment for SUD in the Midwest (N = 401) uncover a much more nuanced understanding of their experience. Qualitative findings suggest that many respondents exhibit noteworthy gratitude towards persons, programs, and institutions that they perceive as instrumental towards changing their problematic SUD behaviors. These expressions of appreciation towards people, community-based programs, and institutions helps contribute to a deeper understanding of what components of the treatment and judicial process may be most effective at supporting persons with SUD in recovery from subsequent problematic substance use behaviors and outcomes. Moreover, examining the narratives from treatment center participants offers a more humanizing depiction that could help reduce stigmatized and criminalized narratives that may undermine the recovery process of persons who have recently disengaged from problematic substance use. Given the strong correlation between SUD and criminal justice involvement, improving treatment center outcomes by reducing stigma towards justice involved persons, could thereby serve the broader goal of community-based recovery while supporting crime prevention.

Authors

• Meghan O’Neil, Michigan State University

• Tasha Purdue, Ohio State University