A pilot study of U.S. college students’ 12-step orientation and the relationship with medications for opioid use disorder

Abstract

Objective: To examine undergraduate college students’ attitudes toward 12-step support group utilization for opioid use disorder (OUD) and associations with previous experience with medications for OUD (MOUD). Participants: A convenience sample of undergraduate students at two major U.S. universities during Fall 2018 and Spring 2019. Method: A cross-sectional online survey of agreement with three 12-step orientation measures, MOUD experience, and demographic variables. Results: 1,281 students responded. Among 12-step orientation measures, respondents were most likely to agree that people with OUD should reach out to others in recovery. MOUD experience was significantly and negatively associated with agreement on each 12-step orientation measure. Religiosity/spirituality was positively associated with agreement that people with OUD should accept lack of control over OUD while placing trust in a higher power. Conclusion: Students with MOUD experience may be aware of anti-MOUD stigma in peer support groups and thus less likely to agree with 12-step orientation measures.

Keywords:

• 12-step
• college
• medication
• opioid use disorder
• treatment

Conflict of interest disclosure

The authors have no conflicts of interest to report. The authors confirm that the research presented in this article met the ethical guidelines, including adherence to the legal requirements, of the U.S. and received approval from the Institutional Review Board the University of Central Florida.

Additional information

Funding

No funding was used to support this research and/or the preparation of the manuscript.