Doctoral Dissertations

Paul Busby

Date of Award

5-2001

Degree Type

Dissertation

Degree Name

Doctor of Philosophy

Major

Psychology

Major Professor

Eric Sundstrom

Committee Members

John W. Lounsbury, Lawrence R. James, Michael G. Johnson

Abstract

Three empirical studies investigated the relationships between 12-step participation, addictive modes of experiencing, and recovery from chemical addictions. Study one and two developed an addictive experience survey to be used in this paper's main study. The main study validates the addictive experience survey and tests relationships of interest. The first study sought to validate a four-factor model of addictive experience based on clinical research. These four factors are experiential dimensions, assumed universal, that emerged from clinical interviews with persons addicted to chemical substances: 1) Temporal Flow (temporal flow vs. temporal arrest), 2) Language Adequacy (emotional articulation vs. impoverished emotional language), 3) Connectedness (connectedness vs. alienation), and 4) Agency (effectiveness vs. powerlessness). A survey was constructed using the content of the interviews to write items. This survey was distributed in pencil and paper form to college students (N=247). Data was gathered for three weeks. Results did not support the four-factor model. Principle components analysis extracted two factors accounting for 51.9% of response variance. Post-hoc analysis suggested the inadequacy of the response format. A second study revised the survey's response format and its items. The revised survey was administered electronically over the Internet to college students, addicts, and interested others (N=751). Like study one, this second study hypothesized the existence of four factors. The results supported the four-factor hypothesis. Principle components analysis extracted four factors accounting for 67.5% of response variance. Coefficient alphas for the four dimensions ranged from .84 to .89. The main study performed a know-group validation of the addictive experience scales and tested the relationships between these dimensions and 12-step program participation. It was hypothesized that addicts' scores on the addictive experience dimensions would suggest greater disturbance than the scores of non-addicts. The second and third hypotheses predicted that greater 12-step participation would be associated with healthier or less disturbed addictive experiences. All three of this studies hypotheses received support. Participation was divided into level of involvement and degree of affiliation. Involvement items measured frequency of participation and completion of 12-step tasks. Affiliation items centered on perceived salience of 12-step tasks and ideas. Greater involvement and affiliation in the 12-steps was associated with improvement in the addictive experience dimensions. In addition to developing an addictive experience scale useful in future research this paper extends the literature on recovery from addiction by demonstrating linkages between 12-step participation, addictive experience and recovery. Results argue for greater concentration on first-person narratives in attempting to understand addictive phenomena. A model for the relationships between 12-step participation, addictive experience dimensions, and recovery is offered.

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