TY - JOUR
T1 - Romantic Relationships in Alcohol Use Disorder Recovery
T2 - A Qualitative Content Analysis
AU - Kimball, Thomas G.
AU - Hune, Nicole D.
AU - Shumway, Sterling T.
AU - Gerber, William
AU - Bradshaw, Spencer D.
AU - Macey, Porter
N1 - Publisher Copyright:
© 2021 Taylor & Francis.
PY - 2022
Y1 - 2022
N2 - Alcohol use disorder (AUD) thrives in isolation. Recovery requires healthy and supportive relationships in order to heal and grow. Many individuals in alcohol recovery find it challenging to establish and maintain meaningful romantic relationships, yet little research has examined this concept. With a particular focus on relationship insecurity and relationship safety, this study explored persons’ experiences of romantic relationships in AUD recovery. Twenty-three participant interviews were analyzed. A conventional content analysis was first used to inductively uncover categories and then a summative content analysis was utilized to examine textual frequencies. Categories, themes and coded frequencies informed the overall analyses. Three main categories emerged with themes explaining participants’ relationship experiences (Identifying Unsafe Relationships: negative and positive impact of conflict; Addressing Relationship Insecurity: anxiety and avoidance; and Establishing Relationship Safety: trust and recovery). Although there were several limitations, this study offers new insight on romantic relationships in AUD recovery. We emphasize the importance of establishing safety and addressing maladaptive attachment behaviors in order to better navigate toward healthy and supportive romantic relationships in recovery.
AB - Alcohol use disorder (AUD) thrives in isolation. Recovery requires healthy and supportive relationships in order to heal and grow. Many individuals in alcohol recovery find it challenging to establish and maintain meaningful romantic relationships, yet little research has examined this concept. With a particular focus on relationship insecurity and relationship safety, this study explored persons’ experiences of romantic relationships in AUD recovery. Twenty-three participant interviews were analyzed. A conventional content analysis was first used to inductively uncover categories and then a summative content analysis was utilized to examine textual frequencies. Categories, themes and coded frequencies informed the overall analyses. Three main categories emerged with themes explaining participants’ relationship experiences (Identifying Unsafe Relationships: negative and positive impact of conflict; Addressing Relationship Insecurity: anxiety and avoidance; and Establishing Relationship Safety: trust and recovery). Although there were several limitations, this study offers new insight on romantic relationships in AUD recovery. We emphasize the importance of establishing safety and addressing maladaptive attachment behaviors in order to better navigate toward healthy and supportive romantic relationships in recovery.
KW - Alcohol use disorders
KW - attachment
KW - qualitative content analysis
KW - recovery
KW - romantic relationships
UR - http://www.scopus.com/inward/record.url?scp=85115184127&partnerID=8YFLogxK
U2 - 10.1080/07347324.2021.1977206
DO - 10.1080/07347324.2021.1977206
M3 - Article
AN - SCOPUS:85115184127
SN - 0734-7324
VL - 40
SP - 116
EP - 130
JO - Alcoholism Treatment Quarterly
JF - Alcoholism Treatment Quarterly
IS - 1
ER -