Recovery identity as a buffer: mitigating trauma's impact on recovery capital in collegiate recovery programs

IntroductionExperiencing trauma is well-known to negatively impact AOSUD recovery and recovery capital. However, having a stronger recovery identity positively impacts recovery capital, and can be strengthened through recovery-supportive relationships. Identity change and reconstruction is also cent...

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Main Authors: Meredith Francis, Rebecca Smith, Rose Miola, Ya-Li Yang, Thomas Bannard, Victoria Burns, Michael Cleveland, Konul Karimova, Onawa LaBelle, Declan Murphy, Marilyn Piccirillo
Format: Article
Language:English
Published: Frontiers Media S.A. 2025-07-01
Series:Frontiers in Adolescent Medicine
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Online Access:https://www.frontiersin.org/articles/10.3389/fradm.2025.1602130/full
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author Meredith Francis
Rebecca Smith
Rose Miola
Ya-Li Yang
Thomas Bannard
Victoria Burns
Michael Cleveland
Konul Karimova
Onawa LaBelle
Declan Murphy
Marilyn Piccirillo
author_facet Meredith Francis
Rebecca Smith
Rose Miola
Ya-Li Yang
Thomas Bannard
Victoria Burns
Michael Cleveland
Konul Karimova
Onawa LaBelle
Declan Murphy
Marilyn Piccirillo
author_sort Meredith Francis
collection DOAJ
description IntroductionExperiencing trauma is well-known to negatively impact AOSUD recovery and recovery capital. However, having a stronger recovery identity positively impacts recovery capital, and can be strengthened through recovery-supportive relationships. Identity change and reconstruction is also central to trauma healing, making it likely that recovery identity buffers the effect of trauma on recovery capital. This study examines this relationship and identifies types of recovery supports that facilitate development of stronger recovery identity within participants in collegiate recovery programs (CRPs).MethodsThe sample consisted of participants in the National Longitudinal Collegiate Recovery Study who completed all measures at their baseline assessment (N = 168). Total scores of the PCL-5 short form (trauma) and Recovery Identity scale (RI) were regressed on the Brief Assessment of Recovery Capital (BARC) total score. Measures of recovery support, including a measure of support from CRP staff and individual yes/no questions about experiencing various recovery supports, were regressed on RI scores.ResultsLower PCL-5 scores and higher RI scores both significantly predicted higher recovery capital scores [adjR2 = .51; F(3, 168) = 59.61, p < .001], and interacted such that having higher RI scores buffered the impact of having higher trauma scores on recovery capital [ΔR2 = .01, F(4, 168) = 46.66, p < .001]. Perceiving CRP staff (β = .04, p = .007) and peers in recovery (β = .32, p < .001) as being supportive of one's recovery significantly predicted higher recovery identity scores [adjR2 = .16; F(5, 173) = 107.01, p < .001].ConclusionHaving a stronger recovery identity buffers the impact of trauma symptoms on recovery capital for CRP participants. CRP participants who perceive their CRP staff as being strong role models and providing a safe, welcoming recovery space and who have support from peers in recovery had stronger recovery identities. CRPs can help participants with higher trauma levels to build recovery-supportive relationships with their peers, and can create supportive, trauma-responsive spaces for all participants.
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spelling doaj-art-e9a52fcca68f4e688ca57442dc8594912025-08-20T03:13:35ZengFrontiers Media S.A.Frontiers in Adolescent Medicine2813-85892025-07-01310.3389/fradm.2025.16021301602130Recovery identity as a buffer: mitigating trauma's impact on recovery capital in collegiate recovery programsMeredith Francis0Rebecca Smith1Rose Miola2Ya-Li Yang3Thomas Bannard4Victoria Burns5Michael Cleveland6Konul Karimova7Onawa LaBelle8Declan Murphy9Marilyn Piccirillo10School of Social Work, Virginia Commonwealth University, Richmond, VA, United StatesSchool of Social Work, Virginia Commonwealth University, Richmond, VA, United StatesSchool of Social Work, Virginia Commonwealth University, Richmond, VA, United StatesSchool of Social Work, Virginia Commonwealth University, Richmond, VA, United StatesSchool of Social Work, Virginia Commonwealth University, Richmond, VA, United StatesFaculty of Social Work, University of Calgary, Calgary, AB, CanadaDepartment of Human Development, Washington State University, Pullman, WA, United StatesDepartment of Human Development, Washington State University, Pullman, WA, United StatesDepartment of Psychology, University of Windsor, Windsor, ON, CanadaAddictive Disorders and Recovery Studies, Texas Tech University, Lubbock, TX, United StatesDepartment of Psychiatry, Robert Wood Johnson Medical School, Rutgers, The State University of New Jersey, Piscataway, NJ, United StatesIntroductionExperiencing trauma is well-known to negatively impact AOSUD recovery and recovery capital. However, having a stronger recovery identity positively impacts recovery capital, and can be strengthened through recovery-supportive relationships. Identity change and reconstruction is also central to trauma healing, making it likely that recovery identity buffers the effect of trauma on recovery capital. This study examines this relationship and identifies types of recovery supports that facilitate development of stronger recovery identity within participants in collegiate recovery programs (CRPs).MethodsThe sample consisted of participants in the National Longitudinal Collegiate Recovery Study who completed all measures at their baseline assessment (N = 168). Total scores of the PCL-5 short form (trauma) and Recovery Identity scale (RI) were regressed on the Brief Assessment of Recovery Capital (BARC) total score. Measures of recovery support, including a measure of support from CRP staff and individual yes/no questions about experiencing various recovery supports, were regressed on RI scores.ResultsLower PCL-5 scores and higher RI scores both significantly predicted higher recovery capital scores [adjR2 = .51; F(3, 168) = 59.61, p < .001], and interacted such that having higher RI scores buffered the impact of having higher trauma scores on recovery capital [ΔR2 = .01, F(4, 168) = 46.66, p < .001]. Perceiving CRP staff (β = .04, p = .007) and peers in recovery (β = .32, p < .001) as being supportive of one's recovery significantly predicted higher recovery identity scores [adjR2 = .16; F(5, 173) = 107.01, p < .001].ConclusionHaving a stronger recovery identity buffers the impact of trauma symptoms on recovery capital for CRP participants. CRP participants who perceive their CRP staff as being strong role models and providing a safe, welcoming recovery space and who have support from peers in recovery had stronger recovery identities. CRPs can help participants with higher trauma levels to build recovery-supportive relationships with their peers, and can create supportive, trauma-responsive spaces for all participants.https://www.frontiersin.org/articles/10.3389/fradm.2025.1602130/fullrecovery capitalrecovery identitytraumacollegiate recovery programsocial support
spellingShingle Meredith Francis
Rebecca Smith
Rose Miola
Ya-Li Yang
Thomas Bannard
Victoria Burns
Michael Cleveland
Konul Karimova
Onawa LaBelle
Declan Murphy
Marilyn Piccirillo
Recovery identity as a buffer: mitigating trauma's impact on recovery capital in collegiate recovery programs
Frontiers in Adolescent Medicine
recovery capital
recovery identity
trauma
collegiate recovery program
social support
title Recovery identity as a buffer: mitigating trauma's impact on recovery capital in collegiate recovery programs
title_full Recovery identity as a buffer: mitigating trauma's impact on recovery capital in collegiate recovery programs
title_fullStr Recovery identity as a buffer: mitigating trauma's impact on recovery capital in collegiate recovery programs
title_full_unstemmed Recovery identity as a buffer: mitigating trauma's impact on recovery capital in collegiate recovery programs
title_short Recovery identity as a buffer: mitigating trauma's impact on recovery capital in collegiate recovery programs
title_sort recovery identity as a buffer mitigating trauma s impact on recovery capital in collegiate recovery programs
topic recovery capital
recovery identity
trauma
collegiate recovery program
social support
url https://www.frontiersin.org/articles/10.3389/fradm.2025.1602130/full
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