Qualitative study

Full paper can be found here

Abstract:
There is a developing interest in recovery-based approaches, positive psychology and the importance of flourishing in alcohol use disorders (AUD). However, there has been little research into approaches that focus on flourishing in AUD and some concerns have been raised that this new focus will supplant or conflict with the existing impulsivity-reducing approaches, creating poorer alcohol use outcomes. The study addressed research questions on how the approach was adopted and valued by participants, how it compared to other approaches, how aware participants were of changes in recovery capital and positive psychology-focused concepts, such as flourishing or impulsivity. A thematic analysis (TA) evaluated the experiences of participants with harmful alcohol regarding the efficacy and acceptability of The Rediscovery Process, a brief, recovery-focused approach for AUD designed to support flourishing and address impulsivity issues. The TA identified two main themes (1) control and (2) flourishing and many participants noted differences between this approach and others and the majority found the intervention effective in reducing alcohol use. This study helps bridge the gap between the more traditional focus of addressing the psychopathology and approaches developing flourishing in AUD and the wider implications are discussed.

Conclusion:

The major themes of control and flourishing and the range of participants’ responses, highlight how the intervention appears to work on many levels, from changing behaviours to shifting ones’ sense of self, although these changes were not experienced by all respondents. Similarities and differences, particularly in the speed of change, were reported between this intervention and those that had been previously tried by the participants—some aspects of these were positively regarded and others were found confusing or difficult to integrate. The analysis also supports the growing evidence that psychopathology and PP-based approaches have a wide common area of interest, and as both appear to provide the ability to affect similar processes essential for sustained change in AUD, a developing relationship between the two would be of value for those with AUD

Association Study

Association between impulsivity and flourishing in Substance Use Disorders (SUD): bridging the gap between pathology focused psychology and positive psychology?

Introduction: Impulsivity is identified with the development and maintenance of substance use disorders (SUD). Although Barratt originally theorised it to be a relatively static trait, addressing impulsivity has been an important SUD treatment aim. The continuing poor outcomes for those in treatment has raised interest in recovery-based and Positive Psychology interventions (PPI) to SUD and the importance of flourishing. There has been concern that this might supplant impulsivity reducing approaches, however little is known about how flourishing and impulsivity interrelate in SUD. This paper reviewed the literature and evaluated that relationship in two clinical studies. It concludes that there is an absence of reported research as to how impulsivity and flourishing interrelate in SUD and identified a strong to moderate, significant negative association between changes in impulsivity and flourishing in those with SUD, a finding that had not been previously reported. These findings add weight to the argument that impulsivity may be a more dynamic entity than originally theorised and may suggest a route for integration of more pathology focused psychology and Positive Psychology approaches to SUD.

Keywords: Flourishing, impulsivity, substance use, addiction, positive psychology