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Individuals who are homeless and in recovery from substance misuse are among the most vulnerable and underserved in society. Regrettably, extant treatment efforts have had limited success in helping homeless individuals recover from drug and alcohol addiction. To better understand the process of recovery, this study examined the phenomenon of a turning point - the moment when individuals made the radical choice to leave addiction and pursue recovery from substance misuse. Twenty semi-structured interviews were conducted with adults who self-identified as being in recovery from substance misuse who also have the lived experience of homelessness. Using a qualitative phenomenological approach, thematic analysis was implemented to identify common elements involved in the turning point experience. Results showed that individuals cited multiple elements related to survival, individual desires, and relationships that led them to make positive changes toward recovery. The Turning Point Model was created from these narratives to reflect that worsening personal circumstances resulting from substance misuse led participants to a salient turning point that involved an individualized mixture of elements, after which participants took concrete action to enter recovery. The knowledge gleaned from this line of research may inform service providers on how to personalize treatment plans, advocate for this population, and lead to further scientific inquiry.
Advisor: | Buckingham, Sara, David, E. J. R. |
Commitee: | Gonzalez, Vivian, Dulin, Patrick |
School: | University of Alaska Anchorage |
Department: | Clinical Psychology |
School Location: | United States -- Alaska |
Source: | DAI-B 81/12(E), Dissertation Abstracts International |
Source Type: | DISSERTATION |
Subjects: | Personality psychology, Clinical psychology, Behavioral psychology |
Keywords: | Homelessness, Motivation, Recovery, Substance Misuse, Turning Points, Anchorage, Alaska |
Publication Number: | 27832178 |
ISBN: | 9798641825458 |