Happiness with recovery from alcohol and substance use disorders predicts abstinence and treatment retention

Knowledge of the association between wellbeing and substance use disorder (SUD) treatment outcomes can guide recovery definitions, measurement strategies, and intervention development. This study recruited individuals in treatment for SUD (N = 81, M = 39 years old, 53% female, 26% BIPOC). Wellbeing indicators included positive affect, serenity, flourishing, satisfaction with life, gratitude, quality of life, commitment to sobriety, and confidence staying sober. Outcomes included abstinence during treatment and treatment retention. After adjusting for urges to use, recruitment site, previous treatment episodes, legal issues, and days of sobriety in logistic regression analyses, only happiness with recovery remained significantly associated with either outcome (and was significantly associated with both outcomes: OR = 1.8 and 1.5, respectively, p <.05). Assessed via a single item (‘In general, I am happy with my recovery’), this construct shows promise as a novel, simple indicator of wellbeing in recovery and a potential target for intervention.