The role of perceived social support on recovery progress in an addiction therapeutic community

Abstract

This study explores the lived experience of relational support in addiction recovery, challenging individualistic models by adopting a systemic and social constructionist perspective. Utilising Interpretative Phenomenological Analysis (IPA), the research investigated how two former residents of a Maltese Therapeutic Community (TC) made sense of their significant other's (SO) support during their therapeutic journey, and how these relational dynamics influenced their recovery progress. Data was collected through semi-structured interviews and an innovative video-recall method, offering a dialogical and multi-layered perspective on meaning-making. Four superordinate themes emerged: Family as Anchor: Motivation, Containment, and Shared Purpose; From Shame to Dignity: Rebuilding a Moral and Relational Self; Communication and Trust: Rupture, Mediation, and Behavioural Proof; and Power, Trauma, and Autonomy: Negotiation in the Couple. The findings demonstrate that recovery is fundamentally a relational and co-constructed process, measured by the client’s perceived success in achieving relational repair, moral reconstruction, and secure attachment with their partner, rather than solely individual abstinence. The Maltese sociocultural context, characterised by high family interdependence and social visibility, amplified the emotional burden and centrality of relational dynamics. The study concludes that the therapeutic effectiveness of the TC is intrinsically linked to its ability to facilitate relational transformation. It strongly recommends the integration of trauma-informed and family-inclusive practices into TC models, particularly within culturally tight-knit communities.