Mental wellbeing of young adults in short term residential SUD-treatment

Background: People referred to short term residential SUD-treatment often experience severe social, psychological, and physical consequences of their alcohol, drug, or prescription drug dependency. Younger age is often associated with the co-occurrence of substance use related and mental health problems, and involvement with violence is not uncommon.

In this study, we examine mental wellbeing of young adults in short term residential SUD-treatment. We focus on subjective wellbeing, hopefulness, psychological symptoms, and experiences of violence. Previous research indicates, that both general wellbeing and hopefulness improve during short term residential SUD-treatment. In this study, we focus on young adults (age 18–29) to see if that’s the case also with this specific age group. We will also analyze whether age group 18–29 years of age differs from older age groups in the treatment.

Methods: Quantitative questionnaire data (N=148; age group 18–29 n=31) was collected from one SUD-treatment unit located in Finland during the years 2016–2018. The treatment unit provides therapeutic community-based substance use treatment. The treatment applies cognitive behavioral therapy, i.e., the focus is on providing information about recovery, relapse, and behavioral patterns to achieve change in problematic substance use. Treatment periods usually last from 1 to 3 months.

In this study we utilize the Outcome Rating Scale (ORS; Miller et al., 2003) in assessing change in subjective wellbeing. It divides well-being into individual, relational, social, and overall sense of well-being. Hopefulness is measured by using a Finnish version of the State Hope Scale (SHS; Snyder et al., 1996). Psychological symptoms in this study are consisted of depression, anxiety, panic symptoms, and suicidal ideation. By experiences of violence, we mean psychological, physical, and sexual violence from two directions (being a perpetrator and object of violence). Due to small sample size, non-parametrical tests will be applied.

Results: Preliminary results indicate that young adults tend to drop out from treatment more often than older participants. However, those, who stay in treatment experience improve in general wellbeing and hopefulness and decrease in psychological symptoms like older participants. Majority of young adults have experiences of violence, polydrug use, and multidimensional social harms. In this regards age group is similar to age group 30-39 years old but differs from older age groups.

Conclusions: Further research with larger data or with qualitative approach is needed to better understand what the service needs of young adults are, and how psychological wellbeing and experiences of violence are related to treatment outcome.