Participant Experiences in Student Recovery Programs in Canada: An Interpretative Phenomenological Analysis

ABSTRACT Student recovery programs are an emerging trend across university campuses in Canada, yet little is known about the experiences of students who utilize these programs. Canada’s first student recovery program launched in 2019, with six additional launching shortly thereafter. The current study offers a first look at the student experience in recovery programs at the first Canadian institutions to offer recovery support on campus. We used qualitative methods to examine individual recovery trajectories, program participation, stigma, barriers to recovery on campus, and the impact of a campus-based recovery program on various areas of their lives. Our findings highlight three main themes: (i) inclusivity and diversity of the programs, (ii) increasing recovery capital and dimensions of well-being, and (iii) reducing barriers to recovery on campus. The results inform how Canadian student recovery programs meet the needs of their students and identify areas for improvement using a recovery-informed lens to center the lived experiences of students in recovery. Findings from this initial study may drive the development of future student recovery programs at Canadian institutions and inform new initiatives by existing programs outside of Canada.