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Yalom's therapeutic factors (TFs) have been a focal point in therapeutic literature for over three decades. However, their specific application in group therapy for substance use disorders (SUD) remains underexplored. This review paper is divided into two primary sections. The first section offers a comprehensive review of the literature on TFs in general group therapy, highlighting empirical findings. The second section delves into the application of TFs in group therapy for SUD, with particular emphasis on 12-step programs and motivational interviewing groups. The paper concludes by discussing the implications for future development and enhancement of group therapy practices through the perspective of TFs. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Between 30 and 40% of 18-year olds in England, Wales and Northern Ireland enter tertiary education (university) each year. Young adulthood (ages 15 to 25) is the usual period in which problems with alcohol, drugs or other behaviors begin to emerge, and yet these issues have received limited study in the UK. Government policy dictates that a full continuum of treatment and recovery services should be available in each area of the country, but uptake of these services by university students appears to be limited. In this discussion paper we describe the background to, and components of, the Collegiate Recovery Program (CRP), an initiative that has grown rapidly in the USA in the past decade. We then describe how the first UK University-led CRP was set up, before outlining what has been learnt so far and the potential challenges facing this approach. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The present paper focuses on the recall of childhood experiences of adults who had at least one parent misusing alcohol and/or drugs. The study aims to gain an in-depth understanding of the recall of these experiences in adulthood and their effect on relationships with significant others. Twelve (12) adults, who had experienced as children in their family's drug and alcohol misuse were interviewed and their interviews were analyzed using thematic analysis. The findings of the qualitative study suggest that adults recall in their childhood the reversal of family roles and traumas that seem to affect their current relationships. The research findings indicate the necessity of supporting early enough children who grow up in families where alcohol and drug misuse are part of daily life and to create a therapeutic alliance in adult life in order to advance in their relationship with self and others. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Therapeutic responses to substance use disorder (SUD) have been an individual and community health challenge for many years. Mutual support fellowships continue to make important contributions. The peer-based, 12 Step meeting model has existed for nearly a century, and these meetings in general, and Cocaine Anonymous (CA) meetings in particular, are therapeutic. How specific topics are engaged in meetings is not well understood, especially topics related to emotional regulation. Research suggests that addiction recovery is quite similar to, and strongly linked with, a prolonged or pathological grief. How grief and healing matter in these meetings is an important area for research. This paper explores these interlinked processes in CA meetings to understand how they contribute to resilience. Shares on grief-related topics from more than 100 CA meetings and over seven years of data collection are analyzed. Addressing grief in these meetings contributes to improved health outcomes. Grief-related topics emerged into five (5) themes. These grief discussions contributed to the presence of four (4) dimensions of a social ecology of resilience in recovery. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Alcohol Use Disorder is a complex and broad condition with multiple pathways to resolution. Only a small proportion of people with AUD seek formal treatment or support, whilst lower severity AUD is particularly under-addressed. In part, this reflects common misconceptions about AUD as an always severe condition requiring lifelong abstinence. The present study sought to investigate the impact of an online programme focused on supporting participants (n = 928) looking to change their drinking behaviors on outcomes of self-reported happiness with drinking and other well-being outcomes. Results showed that post-intervention, all participants reported significantly increased happiness with their drinking, greater drink-refusal self-efficacy, and improvements in how drinking impacted multiple well-being domains such as sleep and emotions. Importantly, it was found that all participants were happier with their drinking regardless of whether their goal was to abstain from drinking or to reduce their drinking. These results add to evidence highlighting the need to broaden the accessibility and range of options available to support a wider range of people with AUD, particularly via increasing understanding and acceptance of non-abstinent routes to AUD resolution. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The aim of this study is to understand the family history of people pathologically engaging in gambling in rural Greece along with the factors and effects (suicidal thoughts/attempts) related thereto, according to participants' perspective. Qualitative in nature, the study was based on 32 semi-structured interviews carried out with adults who attended a Treatment Facility for pathological gambling in Heraklion Crete, in Greece. A past family history of excessive gambling was reported by most of the participants, while in many cases were reported a family history of alcohol misuse. Participants perceived self-characteristics, losses/traumatic experiences, paternal and nuclear family characteristics, work-related problems, peers who also gamble and upbringing practices influenced by culture as principal pathological gambling factors. Participants also reported that pathological gambling has various effects on one's psychological mood, behavior, and relationship patterns with self and others. Most participants also reported having suicidal thoughts, whereas a few of them mentioned at least one suicide attempt. The study concludes that pathological gambling in the current population is associated with a past family history of excessive gambling or alcohol misuse. Multiple factors also seem to contribute to its manifestation and to such adverse effects, such as suicidal thoughts and attempts. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In this pilot study, we assessed the effectiveness and acceptability of an educational program designed to prevent alcohol-related behaviors among high school students. The program was rooted in the Theory of Planned Behavior principles (TPB) and supplemented with life-skills teaching. A total of 352 participants were involved, representing 10 secondary schools in central Greece. Among these, 257 students (Mage: 14.51 ± 1.34 years) constituted the experimental group, while 95 were assigned to the control group. The experimental group received a 10-session program, one per week. The results revealed that the experimental group had a significant improvement on knowledge about alcohol, perceived behavioral control (PBC), and alcohol-related behavior between pre- and post-intervention measurements. Additionally, students expressed high levels of satisfaction with the program. These findings offer substantial evidence for the practicality and effectiveness of an alcohol prevention initiative that is rooted in theory and supported by life-skills education when implemented within a school environment. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Numerous countries are significantly impacted by substance use disorder (SDU) crimes without effective solutions, including Malaysia. The current study aims to systematically review relevant literature on community education and factors contributing to SDU relapse, especially among former youth prisoners in Malaysia. A literature search was conducted through three databases, namely Scopus, Web of Science (WoS), and Google Scholar. The initial search provided over 700 articles ranging from 2013 to 2023. Nevertheless, the screening and eliminating processes resulted in only 10 articles. The screening process coincided with the study objectives to thoroughly comprehend the major factors contributing to SDU relapse among former youth prisoners and explore the effectiveness of community education in preventing SDU relapse. The findings answered the research questions and suggested several future research directions to improve the study. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

While the field of recovery science has burgeoned over the past two decades, little research has considered the experiences of university students in recovery from addiction, particularly in Canada. Addressing this gap, using a recovery capital framework, 16 qualitative interviews were conducted to explore students' meanings, experiences, and barriers/facilitators to recovery from problematic substance use and/or behaviors. Reflexive thematic analysis revealed three main themes: 1. multiple recovery pathways and identities; 2. stigma and disclosure; and 3. proximity to campus community and resources. Recommendations to create more recovery-friendly campuses are provided. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Forgiveness, a construct common to religiousness/spirituality and positive psychology, and resentment are thought to be critical factors in addiction and recovery therefrom. Although empirical evidence is accumulating to support forgiveness as an important factor in addiction recovery, very little work has empirically examined the role of resentment in addiction recovery, including the role of the forgiveness – resentment interface. The association of forgiveness with addiction recovery-related outcomes, as mediated by resentment, in the context of substance (mis)use was examined in two cross-sectional studies among undergraduate college students from three institutions, in this IRB-approved study. Self-forgiveness was consistently associated – both directly and indirectly through resentment – with less psychological distress and less vulnerability to use substances in the context of both alcohol (mis)use and drug (mis)use. Other-forgiveness was similarly associated, but less frequently. Empirical evidence is beginning to emerge to support the long-held anecdotal assumptions regarding the importance of forgiveness and resentment to addiction recovery, with implications for interventions and approaches to treatment for those struggling with substance (mis)use. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Substance use disorders (SUDs) affect over 35 million individuals worldwide and are associated with significant harms. Residential treatment is an essential component of Canada's approach to combating SUDs, offering highly intensive and specialized acute services. Historically, residential treatment facilities have quantified the success of their program(s) solely based on program completion. However, there has been a recent movement toward empirically evaluating programs using standardized measures of distress. The purpose of this study was to evaluate whether the inpatient residential program for SUDs at Edgewood Treatment Centre is effective in providing substantive improvement of a range of addiction and mental health symptoms. The current study assessed both addiction related and psychological outcomes. Specifically, we examined whether patients improved on various measures of functional impairment, addiction-related symptoms, traumatic stress, and psychological distress, following completion of the 7-week inpatient addiction program. Findings suggested that there were significant improvements in emotion regulation, and decreases in substance dependence, substance cravings, anxiety, depressive symptoms, and traumatic stress between admission and discharge. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Integrating students into their college community is viewed as essential for student retention. However, these efforts may expose students to a drinking subculture, which potentially threatens their academic success. This threat appears even more pronounced for students of color, who must also navigate racial obstacles such as prejudice and discrimination, which further predispose them to greater levels of problem drinking. Drawing off survey data from a Latino sample of college students, I examine the importance of peer socialization messages about ethnicity and race (peer ethnic-racial socialization; peer ERS) and how they influence levels of alcohol intoxication. A confirmatory factor analysis identified three dimensions of peer ERS: cultural socialization, preparation for bias, and promotion of mistrust. Peer messages stressing cultural socialization reduced levels of alcohol intoxication by promoting a strong ethnic identity. In addition, respondents actively involved in fraternities/sororities and student clubs/organizations reported reduced prevalence of alcohol intoxication when exposed to greater levels of all three dimensions of peer ERS. I discuss these findings within the broader ethnic-racial socialization literature as well as how they might be used by administrators to improve retention for students of color. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In 2022, a national study titled The DUHEI (Drug Use in Higher Educationin Ireland) was conducted to determine the prevalence and problem of drug use among students in institutes of higher education. The findings of the DUHEI revealed that drug use is prevalent among college students in Ireland, with over half reporting they use or hadused drugs in the past.The study also uncovered a subpopulation of students who have recovered from a previous problem with drug or alcohol use in thepast, known as students in recovery. These students were identifiedas a unique and vulnerable population in need of specific support on college campuses. The authors of the report recommend the establishment of collegiate recovery programs in institutes of higher education in Ireland to support these students in active recovery from addiction. Collegiate recovery programs are well established in the U.S and are emerging in the UK and Canada. This perspective article echoes, and extends upon the DUHEI recommendationto implement CRPs in Ireland, by highlighting the evidence base which demonstrates the efficacy of collegiate recovery programs. Itis important that Irish colleges and Universities follow international best practice by establishing collegiate recovery program. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Despite growing research on peer recovery specialists and community health workers (CHWs) in fields such as substance use disorder (SUD) treatment and recovery support, their workplace experiences are little understood. Through semi-structured interviews with 21 CHWs and peer recovery specialists working within substance use disorder treatment and/or traditional health care settings, we identified six prevalent themes: Benefits/Pleasures of the Role; Reciprocity; Challenges; Duality of Lived Experience; Relationships with Medical Professionals and Supervisors; and Defining Metrics. These themes reveal a complex narrative of system failures, organizational hierarchies, and experiential realities in which shared experiences and personal connections with clients undergird both positive and negative aspects of the role. In the words of one study participant: "We have not taken a vow of poverty, we need to get paid for our value." [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This pilot study examined the feasibility and satisfaction of the Recovering Safety group, an outpatient empowerment, psychoeducational skills group for women with substance use disorders who have experienced intimate partner violence (IPV). Patient satisfaction, empowerment, and safety were assessed at three time points. Participants (N = 8) reported high satisfaction with the group and rated the IPV-informed content, women-only participants, and female therapist as important factors; empowerment increased from pre- to post-group. These results support initial feasibility; further study of such treatments is needed to examine efficacy of this group intervention. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This research aimed to examine the basic and conceptual structure of the research area about addiction in adolescents by examining studies in an international index (Web of Science (WoS) database: SCI-Expanded, SSCI, AHCI, ESCI) through bibliometric analysis. Research on addiction in adolescents has been examined using bibliometric analysis and mapping techniques. Accordingly, a total of 5558 studies from the WoS database were analyzed in line with the criteria for inclusion. Although there were partial decreases in some years for adolescent studies about addiction, the general progression was increasing. Regarding resource categories, first were addictive behaviors, followed by drug and alcohol dependence. Although smoking is related to substance use, it differs from other types of addiction. In addition, Internet addiction, one of the behavioral addictions, are among the strong research themes. University of Pittsburgh produced most institution-based publications, and the USA was the country with most publications and most cited publications in the world. Research about adolescent addiction focuses mostly on substance abuse/use and psychiatry disciplines. Since publications in the research area are not within the limits of Lotka's law, authors in this research area need more publication productivity for two or more publications. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Process/behavioral addictions (PBAs) have become more frequently identified and diagnosed within the previous decade. For this reason, licensed counseling professionals (LCPs) are likely to work with clients with PBAs. In this study, we examined the experiences of LCPs treating clients with PBAs. Through constant comparison analysis, findings include three major themes, each with several subthemes. Treatment implications and the importance of education about PBAs for counselors in training are discussed. We advocate for continued training and research about PBAs for professional counselors to provide best practices to their clients. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]