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Recovery Capital Gains May Precede Craving Reduction in Opioid Use Disorder
Journal article   Open access   Peer reviewed

Recovery Capital Gains May Precede Craving Reduction in Opioid Use Disorder

Nicholas L Bormann, Andrea N Weber, Benjamin Miskle, Stephan Arndt and Alison C Lynch
Substance abuse and rehabilitation, Vol.14, pp.113-118
10/05/2023
DOI: 10.2147/SAR.S433350
PMCID: PMC10561754
PMID: 37818109
url
https://doi.org/10.2147/SAR.S433350View
Published (Version of record) Open Access

Abstract

Purpose: Cravings for drugs and alcohol have been significantly associated with worse treatment outcomes. We investigated if improvements in recovery capital (RC) (eg, a measure of social capital/network, financial resources, education, and cultural factors) over time were associated with decreased reported cravings. Patients and Methods: The original cohort consisted of 133 participants (63 females) with opioid use disorder seeking outpatient treatment, who completed the Assessment of Recovery Capital (ARC) (range 0 to 50) and the Brief Addiction Monitor (BAM) thrice over the 6-month study. Intervention was medication and case management. Analysis included one-way mixed models testing change over time for ARC total scores and single question craving rating (5-point Likert scale). Cross-lagged panel estimates used structural equation models with variables z-scored, allowing for path coefficient evaluation as standard deviations (sd). Results: Total ARC significantly increased over the study (χ 2 = 33.77, df = 2, p < 0.0001), with baseline of 36.6 (n = 114, sd = 11.1) and 6-month of 41.2 (n = 107, sd = 9.5). Craving also changed significantly (χ 2 = 8.51, df = 2, p < 0.015), with baseline of 1.1 (n = 101, sd = 1.2) and 6-month of 0.9 (n = 107, sd = 1.1). The cross-lag from baseline RC to 3-month craving was significant (β = − 0.28, SE = 0.11, z = − 2.53, p < 0.011). The converse was not true; baseline craving did not affect later RC. Results were similarly significant when comparing 3-month to 6-month. The majority of sample was on buprenorphine. Conclusion: As RC improves, the reported cravings at both 3- and 6-month study time points are significantly reduced. When evaluated inversely, there was not a significant association with baseline cravings and follow-up RC. Significant path coefficients provide an estimation of a directional effect from increased RC towards craving reduction.
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