Journey to wellness: A socioecological analysis of veterans in recovery from substance use disorders
Loading...
Links to Files
Author/Creator ORCID
Date
2022-07-18
Type of Work
Department
Program
Citation of Original Publication
Grisamore, S. P., Nguyen, R. L., Wiedbusch, E. K., Guerrero, M., Cope, C. E. A., Abo, M. G., & Jason, L. A. (2022). Journey to wellness: A socioecological analysis of veterans in recovery from substance use disorders. American Journal of Community Psychology, 1ā 13. https://doi.org/10.1002/ajcp.12615
Rights
This is the peer reviewed version of the following article: Grisamore, S. P., Nguyen, R. L., Wiedbusch, E. K., Guerrero, M., Cope, C. E. A., Abo, M. G., & Jason, L. A. (2022). Journey to wellness: A socioecological analysis of veterans in recovery from substance use disorders. American Journal of Community Psychology, 1ā 13. https://doi.org/10.1002/ajcp.12615, which has been published in final form at https://doi.org/10.1002/ajcp.12615. This article may be used for non-commercial purposes in accordance with Wiley Terms and Conditions for Use of Self-Archived Versions. This article may not be enhanced, enriched or otherwise transformed into a derivative work, without express permission from Wiley or by statutory rights under applicable legislation. Copyright notices must not be removed, obscured or modified. The article must be linked to Wileyās version of record on Wiley Online Library and any embedding, framing or otherwise making available the article or pages thereof by third parties from platforms, services and websites other than Wiley Online Library must be prohibited.
Access to this item will begin on 7/18/2023.
Access to this item will begin on 7/18/2023.
Subjects
Abstract
Substance use disorders are increasingly prevalent among veterans in the United States. Veterans in recovery face unique challenges, such as high rates of psychiatric comorbidities, difficulties adjusting to civilian life, and inadequate housing and mental health services. While prior research has explored veterans' experiences in recovery, studies have not implemented a multilevel perspective in their analyses. The current qualitative study examined how individual veteran experiences intersect with interpersonal and systemic factors. Semistructured focus groups were conducted with veterans who were former or current residents of recovery homes (Nā=ā20). Thematic analysis was utilized to explore veterans' personal experiences through the CHIME-D framework (connectedness, hope & optimism, identity, meaning in life, empowerment, and difficulties). The data were further analyzed within a socioecological model (intrapersonal, interpersonal, and community). Each component of the CHIME-D framework was salient across all focus groups, with connectedness, empowerment, and difficulties being the most prominent themes that occurred across all socioecological levels. Results suggest that recovery initiatives can effectively assist veterans by promoting empowerment, facilitating social connections, and addressing cooccurring difficulties across multiple socioecological contexts. Additionally, treatment programs should encourage veterans to take on meaningful roles in their communities. Future research should continue to explore veterans' recovery experiences using a socioecological model.