Research project DR/80 (Research action DR)
Recovery models are well established in policy, commissioning and treatment practice in the UK, but have only begun to emerge in policy discourse in the Netherlands and Belgium. The aim of this project is to map pathways to recovery in populations engaging with different mechanisms of behaviour change for recovery - mutual aid, peer-based support, residential and community treatment, specialist treatment: maintenance and abstinence oriented) or through their own 'natural recovery' endeavours, at different stages of their addiction careers. We will recruit populations in early (<1 year), sustained (1-5 years) and stable recovery (>5 years) in these 3 countries and will track these individuals over the course of one year. The study will use a mixed methods design to assess recovery capital, social networks and identity, community engagement and societal responses, with a particular focus on gender differences in pathways and trajectories to change. We will also assess the client experience of policy and practice change on stigma, access to support and reintegration.
In this Belgian branch of the REC-PATH study, we used an innovative photovoice method to uncover the personal recovery stories and pathways of women with a history of (illicit) substance use. The goal was to engage with the lived experiences of women who use or have used drugs and to understand what supported them to initiate and maintain recovery. Eight women who have initiated or are maintaining recovery met monthly over a six-month period to select pictures and to share and find common themes, related to facilitators and barriers in their recovery process.
The photovoice project took place from 01/11/2019 to 30/06/2021. During that period following research activities took place: development of the photovoice methodology, recruitment, six group sessions, data-analysis, development of an academic article, development of a photo website, development of a photography book and preparation of a book presentation and/or a photo exhibition.
Photovoicing interconnected sources of recovery capital of women with a drug use history : report
Van Steenberghe, Tijs - Vanderplasschen, Wouter - Bellaert, Lore ... et al. Brussels : Belgian Science policy, 2021 (SP3052)
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Recovery pathways and societal responses in Belgium, the UK and the Netherlands : final report(REC-PATH)
Best, David - Vanderplasschen, Wouter - De Maeyer, Jessica ... et al. Brussels : Belgian Science policy, 2021 (SP3131)
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Recovery pathways and societal responses in Belgium, the UK and the Netherlands : summary (REC-PATH)
De Maeyer, Jessica - Van Steenberghe, Thijs - Bellaert, Lore ... et al. Brussels : Belgian Science policy, 2021 (SP3132)
[To download]
