Andrew J Finch1, Emily Tanner-Smith1, Emily Hennessy1, D Paul Moberg2. 1. a Department of Human & Organizational Development , Vanderbilt University , Nashville , TN , USA. 2. b School of Medicine and Public Health, Department of Population Health Sciences , University of Wisconsin-Madison , Madison , WI , USA.
Abstract
BACKGROUND: Recovery high schools (RHSs) provide post-treatment education and recovery support for young people with substance use disorders (SUDs). This is the first quasi-experimental outcome study to determine RHS effectiveness relative to students in non-RHSs. OBJECTIVES: To examine effects of RHS attendance on academic and substance use outcomes among adolescents treated for SUDs 6 months after recruitment to the study. METHODS: A quasi-experimental design comparing outcomes for adolescents with treated SUDs who attended RHSs for at least 28 days versus a propensity-score balanced sample of students with treated SUDs who did not attend RHSs. The sample included 194 adolescents (134 in RHSs, 60 in non-RHSs) enrolled in Minnesota, Wisconsin, or Texas schools (M age = 16; 86% White; 49% female). Multilevel linear regression models were used to examine the effect of RHS attendance on students' outcomes, after adjusting for a range of potential confounders. RESULTS: Adolescents attending RHSs were significantly more likely than non-RHS students to report complete abstinence from alcohol, marijuana, and other drugs at the 6-month follow-up (OR = 4.36, p = .026), significantly lower levels of marijuana use (d = -0.51, p = .034) and less absenteeism from school (d = -0.56, p = .028). CONCLUSION: These results indicate that RHSs have significantly beneficial effects on substance use and school absenteeism after 6 months for adolescents treated for SUDs.
BACKGROUND: Recovery high schools (RHSs) provide post-treatment education and recovery support for young people with substance use disorders (SUDs). This is the first quasi-experimental outcome study to determine RHS effectiveness relative to students in non-RHSs. OBJECTIVES: To examine effects of RHS attendance on academic and substance use outcomes among adolescents treated for SUDs 6 months after recruitment to the study. METHODS: A quasi-experimental design comparing outcomes for adolescents with treated SUDs who attended RHSs for at least 28 days versus a propensity-score balanced sample of students with treated SUDs who did not attend RHSs. The sample included 194 adolescents (134 in RHSs, 60 in non-RHSs) enrolled in Minnesota, Wisconsin, or Texas schools (M age = 16; 86% White; 49% female). Multilevel linear regression models were used to examine the effect of RHS attendance on students' outcomes, after adjusting for a range of potential confounders. RESULTS: Adolescents attending RHSs were significantly more likely than non-RHS students to report complete abstinence from alcohol, marijuana, and other drugs at the 6-month follow-up (OR = 4.36, p = .026), significantly lower levels of marijuana use (d = -0.51, p = .034) and less absenteeism from school (d = -0.56, p = .028). CONCLUSION: These results indicate that RHSs have significantly beneficial effects on substance use and school absenteeism after 6 months for adolescents treated for SUDs.
Entities:
Keywords:
Adolescents; recovery schools; school success; substance use
Authors: Matthew C Fadus; Lindsay M Squeglia; Emilio A Valadez; Rachel L Tomko; Brittany E Bryant; Kevin M Gray Journal: Curr Psychiatry Rep Date: 2019-09-14 Impact factor: 5.285