Quality of participants’ relationships to peer recovery support specialists as a function of perceived similarities: An exploratory analysis

Background

A growing evidence base supports the value of peer recovery support specialists (PRSS), particularly due to shared lived experience with participants (recipients of PRSS services). However, little research has examined whether congruence on certain aspects of “peerness” (e.g., demographics, experiences) matters for PRSS-participant relationships.

Methods

Through a pilot study under the NIDA-funded Initiative for Justice and Emerging Adult Populations (JEAP), adults who had recently received PRSS services (N=100) were interviewed. Participants completed a modified version of the Scales for Participant Alliance with Recovery Coach (SPARC), a measure of PRSS-participant relationship quality, and rated themselves as different/similar to their PRSS in several domains using a six-point scale.

Results

Participants had met with their PRSS for a median of 10 sessions over two months. SPARC scores were unrelated to participant demographics or lived experiences. However, better-quality relationships were reported by participants who believed their PRSS was similar to them in relationships with family (p=.004), spirituality/religion (p=.001), age (p<.001), and overall recovery pathway (p<.001). Total SPARC scores were not significantly correlated with perceived PRSS-participant similarities on gender, race/ethnicity, substances of choice, and history of incarceration or substance use treatment.

Discussion

Results from this pilot study suggest that PRSS-participant alignment on past experiences (e.g., prior incarceration, choice of drugs) may not be needed to establish good-quality working relationships. However, similarities on factors related to current life stage (e.g., age, family relationships) and/or recovery process (e.g., overall pathway, spirituality) may be more important. Future research should employ mixed-methods approaches to elucidate these unique findings.