Impact of Dual Disorders, Trauma, and Social Support on Quality of Life Among Women in Treatment for Substance Dependence

Abstract

Objective: Women with dual disorders report lower levels of social support than women with substance dependence alone, and lower levels of social support have been associated with lower quality of life among individuals with substance use disorders. However, little is known about the impact of trauma symptoms and violence exposure on quality of life for women with dual disorders. The purpose of this study was to examine the impact of dual disorders, trauma, and social support related to recovery on various domains of quality of life among women in substance abuse treatment. Methods: This study utilized multiple standardized measures and hierarchical ordinary least squares regression to examine quality of life, trauma, and social support in women with dual disorders. Four domains of quality of life were measured (physical, psychological, social, and environmental domains). Participants (N = 369) were recruited from three inner-city women-only addiction treatment programs. Institutional review board approval was obtained prior to sample recruitment. Results: Presence of dual disorders was significantly associated with lower quality of life in the physical and psychological domains. However, this difference was no longer significant when trauma symptoms were added to the model. Trauma symptoms and support for recovery significantly predicted quality of life across all four domains and friends’ support for abstinence across three domains. Conclusions: Findings suggest that the presence of dual disorders in women may indicate a history of trauma. They also support the importance of both friends’ support for abstinence and recovery support as predictors of quality of life in women with dual disorders. Interventions that focus on social support and quality of life in treatment with women with substance use disorders may potentially enhance treatment outcomes.

Keywords:

• women
• substance abuse
• dual disorders
• trauma
• social support
• quality of life

ACKNOWLEDGMENTS

The project described was supported by Award Number R01DA022994 from the National Institute on Drug Abuse. The content is solely the responsibility of the authors and does not necessarily represent the official views of the National Institute on Drug Abuse or the National Institutes of Health. Portions of this paper were previously presented at the Society for Social Work Research Conference, Washington DC, in January 2011.