oai:digitalcommons.andrews.edu:dissertations-2994
type: CreativeWork
name: Choice of God/Higher Power, Perceptions of God/Higher Power, Religious Beliefs and Behaviors, and Social Support as Predictors of Length of Sobriety, Satisfaction with Life, and Quality of Life Among People Recovering from Alcohol Addictions in Three Midwestern States
description: Problem An estimated 12.7% of the US population meet the Diagnostic and Statistical Manual for Mental Disorders (DSM-IV) (American Psychiatric Association, 1994) criteria for Alcohol Use Disorder (AUD). The annual cost to the society, including emergency room visits, lost days at work, and accidents on the road is in the billions. The impact of this disorder on the family, the community, and the individual is immeasurable. A growing body of literature supports an association between religious and spiritual beliefs and behaviors and recovery from alcohol addiction. This project is an investigation of this association. The goal is to offer some clarity on what works in recovery and what does not. Method Participants' personal data were collected, including information about their religious beliefs and behaviors, and their relationship with AA and a higher power. Participants completed a survey asking about their choice of a higher power, their perceptions of God/higher power, their religious beliefs and behaviors, and their level of social support. They were asked to answer questions about the length of time they had been sober, their satisfaction with life since being sober, and the quality of their lives as a measure of a sense of well-being. MANCOVA was used to analyze the data. This statistical model seemed most appropriate since it allowed the researcher to analyze the impact of the independent variables (types of belief in God or a higher power, perceptions of God/higher power, religious beliefs and behaviors, and social support) on the three dependent variables (length of sobriety, satisfaction with life and quality of life) while controlling for age, gender and level of education. Results MANCOVA was used to analyze the data. The results indicated a mixed picture of what works in recovery. Choice of a higher power was not significantly associated with long-term recovery. Perceptions of God/higher power were not significantly associated with long-term recovery.…
abstract: Problem An estimated 12.7% of the US population meet the Diagnostic and Statistical Manual for Mental Disorders (DSM-IV) (American Psychiatric Association, 1994) criteria for Alcohol Use Disorder (AUD). The annual cost to the society, including emergency room visits, lost days at work, and accidents on the road is in the billions. The impact of this disorder on the family, the community, and the individual is immeasurable. A growing body of literature supports an association between religious and spiritual beliefs and behaviors and recovery from alcohol addiction. This project is an investigation of this association. The goal is to offer some clarity on what works in recovery and what does not. Method Participants' personal data were collected, including information about their religious beliefs and behaviors, and their relationship with AA and a higher power. Participants completed a survey asking about their choice of a higher power, their perceptions of God/higher power, their religious beliefs and behaviors, and their level of social support. They were asked to answer questions about the length of time they had been sober, their satisfaction with life since being sober, and the quality of their lives as a measure of a sense of well-being. MANCOVA was used to analyze the data. This statistical model seemed most appropriate since it allowed the researcher to analyze the impact of the independent variables (types of belief in God or a higher power, perceptions of God/higher power, religious beliefs and behaviors, and social support) on the three dependent variables (length of sobriety, satisfaction with life and quality of life) while controlling for age, gender and level of education. Results MANCOVA was used to analyze the data. The results indicated a mixed picture of what works in recovery. Choice of a higher power was not significantly associated with long-term recovery. Perceptions of God/higher power were not significantly associated with long-term recovery.…
author: Martin, Carlton
keywords: Alcoholics, Addiction, Perceptions, God, Recovery, Sobriety, Behavior and Behavior Mechanisms, Counseling, Vocational Rehabilitation Counseling
date published: 2020-01-01T08:00:00Z
date modified: 2026-07-24T00:53:24Z
provider: Andrews University
publisher: Networked Digital Library of Theses and Dissertations
type: WebPage
source organization: Andrews University