Development and initial findings from the Peer Recovery Coach (PRC) checklist: a new tool to assess the nature of peer recovery coaching service delivery

ABSTRACT

Background: Peer recovery coaching is recovery support service for Substance Use Disorder (SUD) that emphasizes shared lived experience and social support. Though a promising intervention for SUD, differences in the roles, responsibilities, and operationalization of peer recovery coaching across studies make objective implementation and evaluation of this service a challenge.

Objective: This study sought to develop a tool to better guide and operationalize peer recovery coaching service delivery. This study describes the initial development, acceptability, feasibility, and validity of this tool: The PRC Checklist.

Methods: The PRC Checklist was conceptualized and operationalized by drawing from social support theory and recovery capital research. The PRC Checklist was utilized by PRCs in a pilot randomized controlled trial to demonstrate feasibility and acceptability. To further validate the PRC Checklist, recovery coaches (N = 16; 56% female) were recruited to complete a survey about their responsibilities and their perspectives on the content and potential utility of the PRC Checklist.

Results: The PRC checklist used in the pilot study delineates personalized from generalized support and tracks 25 specific activities across three domains of support (i.e. socioemotional, informational, and instrumental). PRCs in the pilot study were able to use the PRC Checklist in all in-person initial baseline encounters and 96.4% of follow-up encounters. Qualitative information collected during project meetings was generally positive but also identified potential limitations to its use. All PRCs surveyed reported that they agreed that the PRC Checklist was helpful, encompassed the services they provided, represented a good idea, provided meaningful information, and would be easy to use. All five of the most common activities PRCs engaged in were reflected in the PRC Checklist.

Conclusion: Capturing both personal and generalized support provided by PRCs, this work suggests that the PRC Checklist captures key activities engaged in and is a helpful tool for use in healthcare settings.

KEYWORDS:

• Peer recovery coaching
• peer support
• recovery support services

Disclosure statement

AL has served on advisory board for Merck Pharmaceuticals, AbbVie and Gilead Sciences. AL has received research grants from Merck Pharmaceuticals and Gilead Sciences. No other authors declared any conflict of interest related to this work.

Additional information

Funding

This research did not receive any specific grant from funding agencies in the public, commercial, or not-for-profit sectors.