Roads to Recovery Capital: Associations Between Posttraumatic Stress Disorder and Recovery Capital Among Individuals with Opioid Use Disorder.

Abstract

Introduction: Posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD) is highly comorbid with opioid use disorder (OUD) and associated with poorer substance use outcomes, including more severe patterns of substance use, poorer psychosocial functioning, and greater risk of overdose. Recovery capital, or internal and external resources that may be drawn from to initiate and sustain recovery from substance use, has been linked to OUD treatment engagement and long-term recovery outcomes, such as reduced substance use and improved quality of life; however, there is limited research on the association between PTSD and recovery capital. Individual differences in motivation for OUD treatment affect treatment engagement and outcomes and may influence the association between PTSD symptoms and recovery capital. Results: Addressing critical gaps in the literature, the current study used a path analysis model to explicate the pathway from PTSD to recovery capital and assess the potential intermediary role of treatment motivation. Participants were 115 individuals currently in residential substance use treatment (M_age = 38.18 years; 70.4% white). Results: The overall path model demonstrated good fit (χ²[20] = 25.55; p = 0.18; RMSEA = 0.06 [90% CI: 0.00-0.12]; CFI = 0.94, TLI = 0.89). PTSD was negatively associated with recovery capital (B = -0.43, p = 0.030), but this association was not explained by treatment motivation (B = 0.13, p = 0.342). Discussion: Future research is needed to further identify the mechanisms by which PTSD influences recovery capital. Such studies may inform treatment and recovery outcomes for individuals with comorbid PTSD and OUD.