Faculty Bibliography

This paper reviews empirical studies conducted on the role of spirituality and religiosity (S/R) characteristics in 12-step recovery among program members followed up after substance abuse treatment and those assessed independent of formal treatment. Aspects of spiritual functioning that change in relation to program participation and those S/R characteristics that were found to mediate the association between program involvement and drinking-related outcomes are discussed. In addition, a review is provided of 12-step program studies investigating S/R-related predictors of clinical outcomes relevant to risk of relapse among members in long-term recovery. To further examine the role of S/R characteristics in recovery, a study was conducted on long-term AA members to assess the relationship of S/R characteristics and AA program involvement to craving for alcohol and emotional distress after controlling for relevant demographic variables. Feeling God's presence daily, believing in a higher power as a universal spirit, and serving as an AA sponsor were all predictive of positive outcomes.

Aims: We conducted a Stage Ia pilot to develop a new intervention, Mentorship for Addiction Problems (MAP), for individuals with substance use disorders in community treatment programs by pilot/feasibility testing, manual writing, training program development, and adherence/competence measure construction. We examined intervention and participant predictors of substance use outcomes. Methods: Ten Mentors participated for 6 months in a piloting of MAP until 30 Mentees received MAP for 12 weeks. Behavioral and biological measures were conducted at baseline, weekly, monthly, and termination. Aseries of bivariate regressions were conducted to determine whether any treatment process or participant variables were associated with substance use outcomes. Results: Intervention Predictors. Mentor group supervision attendance was predictive of Mentee percentage of days abstinent from drugs and alcohol for Mentee weeks in treatment, R² = .790, F(1, 8) = 30.13, p < .001, and predictive of Mentee percentage of days abstinent from drugs R² = .458, F(1, 8) = 6.76, p < .05. Mentee overall attendance was predictive of percentage of days of Mentee abstinence from alcohol, R² = .158, F(1, 28) = 5.27, p < .05 and percentage of days of Mentee abstinence from drugs and alcohol, R² = .228, F(1, 28) = 8.28, p < .05. Finally, Mentor overall attendance was predictive of Mentee percentage of days abstinent from drugs, R² = .462, F(1, 8) = 6.86, p < .05, and predictive of Mentee percentage of days abstinent from drugs and alcohol R² = .798, F(1, 8) = 31.50, p < .001. Participant Predictors. Similar analyses did not find any demographic, housing stability, substance abuse severity or prior substance and psychiatric treatment variables to be associated with outcome. Conclusions: MAP treatment process variables were associated with substance use outcomes