Wiley: Journal of Addictions & Offender Counseling: Table of Contents

Exploring Trauma and Social Support in Recovery: Reconsidering the Appropriateness of Abstinence‐Based Approaches

Wed, 20 May 2026 01:11:07 -0700

ABSTRACT

This research uses data from the National Epidemiological Survey on Alcohol and Related Conditions-III (NESARC) to explore the recovery experiences between the time points of NESARC data. We analyzed how perceived social support and trauma affect whether people seek treatment or not and achieve an abstinent or non-abstinent recovery. Our findings confirm that individuals with trauma experience are less likely to be in recovery with abstinence than those without a trauma history, while higher social support was significantly associated with being a moderate drinker while in recovery. Trauma and social support do not significantly differentiate between moderate use with treatment versus moderate use without treatment; therefore, treatment itself did not lead people to moderate use recovery.

Understanding Substance Use and Suicide Risk Among LGBTQ+ College Students Post‐COVID‐19

Wed, 20 May 2026 01:11:07 -0700

ABSTRACT

This study examines the reported frequency of substance use, levels of suicide risk, and their relationships among LGBTQ+ college students (N = 192) following the COVID-19 pandemic. Participants most commonly reported alcohol and marijuana use, and least commonly reported unprescribed prescription opioid or heroin use. Additionally, roughly half of the participants met clinical cutoff scores for suicide behavior. Substance use frequency was not significantly associated with proximal suicide risk factors, regardless of substance type; however, suicide behavior scores were significantly positively associated with frequency of tobacco, marijuana, and recreational drug use. Implications for addictions counselors are discussed.

Self‐Forgiveness Therapy for Men in Recovery From Substance Use Concerns: Outcomes From Pre‐intervention to Post‐intervention

Wed, 20 May 2026 01:11:07 -0700

ABSTRACT

People experiencing substance use disorders (SUDs) and related concerns often engage in value-incongruent behaviors, leading to self-criticism and shame that perpetuate substance use as an avoidance coping strategy, making recovery difficult. Self-forgiveness may interrupt this substance–shame cycle by transforming shame into positive psychological outcomes and value-congruent behavior. Cornish's self-forgiveness therapy intervention, adapted for people recovering from SUDs, was administered to men in early recovery. Pre–post results indicate decreased general distress, increased well-being, and improvements in most offense-specific and substance-use-related outcomes, highlighting the intervention's potential to enhance current treatments for SUDs and supporting qualitative evidence reported by Carroll and colleagues.

Anti‐Racist Pedagogy in Addiction Training: A Critical Race Mixed Methodology

Jackie D. Dell, Mei Tang — Wed, 20 May 2026 01:11:07 -0700

ABSTRACT

A Critical Race Mixed Methodology approach explored counselor educators’ use of anti-racist pedagogy in teaching addiction counseling. Quantitative findings indicated that all of the 24 pedagogical techniques were used regularly. Qualitative themes included Applied Anti-Racist Pedagogical Techniques, Barriers, Facilitators, and Addiction-Specific Considerations. A mixed-methods integration joint display synthesized the impacts of instructor race, clinical experience, and professional experience in relation to their use of anti-racist pedagogy.

Mindfulness‐Based Stress Reduction as a Treatment for Adolescent Social Media Addiction

Wed, 20 May 2026 01:11:07 -0700

ABSTRACT

This study evaluates the effectiveness of an 8-week Mindfulness-Based Stress Reduction (MBSR) intervention in reducing social media addiction among 22 adolescents. The program incorporated techniques such as body scan, sitting meditation, STOP, and RAIN meditation. Results indicated a significant reduction in social media addiction scores (p < 0.001, d = 1.68) and an increase in mindfulness levels (p < 0.001, d = 0.85). Specific dimensions, including mood modification, escape, and relapse, showed marked improvement, whereas withdrawal, deception, and conflict exhibited no notable changes. These findings underscore MBSR as a promising approach for addressing behavioral addictions and enhancing emotional regulation.

Addressing Arrest and Detainment as Crisis Events: A Counseling Framework for Justice‐Involved Individuals

Taneshia Greenidge, Brenna Breshears, Frances Ellmo — Wed, 20 May 2026 01:11:07 -0700

ABSTRACT

This manuscript presents a Crisis-Informed Model for counseling justice-involved individuals and emphasizes arrest and detainment as critical crisis events with significant psychological impact. Through integration of crisis-informed care with crisis intervention strategies, including psychological first aid (PFA), this model addresses a crucial gap in counselor training and practice. Justice involvement is reframed as an opportunity for early mental health intervention rather than merely a legal consequence. This paper calls for counselor education programs to incorporate crisis-focused, culturally responsive training, and community partnerships to prepare counselors to effectively support and advocate for this marginalized population, ultimately aiming to disrupt cycles of trauma and recidivism.

Journal of Addictions & Offender Counseling

Wed, 20 May 2026 01:11:07 -0700

Journal of Addictions &Offender Counseling, Volume 47, Issue 1, Page 1-1, April 2026.

Forensic Rehabilitation for Veterans: Lessons Learned from Dialectical Behavior Therapy for Justice‐Involved Veterans

Emily R. Edwards, Ryan Holliday — Thu, 07 May 2026 21:35:17 -0700

ABSTRACT

Veterans are a high priority group within the United States judicial system due to their unique health and rehabilitative needs, risk for suicide and violence, and military service history. In this best practice review, we introduce Dialectical Behavior Therapy for Justice-Involved Veterans (DBT-J), a psychosocial intervention specifically adapted to meet the criminogenic, mental health, and socioenvironmental needs of this population. We begin with an overview of DBT-J and evidence of its efficacy. Next, we outline the DBT-J approach to case conceptualization and treatment planning, illustrating this approach through a case example. Finally, we provide concrete recommendations to clinicians on counseling justice-involved Veterans.

“I Wouldn't for Myself; I'm Quitting for Her”: Pregnant Hispanic Mothers’ SUD and Trauma Experiences

Fri, 07 Nov 2025 22:56:12 -0800

ABSTRACT

Pregnant Hispanic women face compounded risks of substance use disorder (SUD) and trauma exposure, yet little research explores their resilience and coping from a strengths-based lens. This qualitative study explored the lived experiences of eight women enrolled in an integrated obstetric and SUD treatment program who reported a recent prenatal alcohol or other drug use event (defined as any instance of substance use during pregnancy). Using interpretative phenomenological analysis (IPA), we identified key themes that facilitated recovery, including social support, self-efficacy, and motivation. Framed within Yosso's (2005) community cultural wealth (CCW) framework, findings highlight how familial, social, and navigational capital supported women in returning to harm-reducing strategies and sustaining abstinence following a use event. These results emphasize the need for strengths-based interventions and policies that enhance resilience, reduce stigma, and promote long-term recovery support for pregnant Hispanic women with SUD and other co-occurring mental health conditions.

Exploring Mental Health Distress as a Mediator of Interoceptive Awareness and Alcohol Use Severity: A Test of Alternative Models

Fri, 07 Nov 2025 22:51:01 -0800

ABSTRACT

This study examined relationships among interoceptive awareness (the ability to detect and understand internal bodily sensations), alcohol use severity, and mental health symptoms using alternative modeling. Participants (N = 360) recruited via Amazon's Mechanical Turk completed measures of interoceptive awareness, alcohol use severity, depression, and anxiety. Structural equation modeling tested three alternative models. The best-fitting model suggested that depression fully mediated the relationship between interoceptive awareness and alcohol use severity. These findings highlight the complex interplay between physiological awareness, emotional states, and substance use, offering implications for addictions counseling.

Predicting Major Depression Among Diverse Online Gamers: The Role of Internet Addiction and Spirituality

Lindsay A. Lundeen, John R. McCall — Sat, 18 Oct 2025 08:54:34 -0700

ABSTRACT

This study analyzed whether religious or spiritual affiliation and therapy enrollment protect against symptoms meeting Major Depressive Disorder criteria beyond demographic, Internet addiction, and described therapy enrollment. Findings illustrated one risk factor and one protective factor associated with experiencing symptoms that meet Major Depressive Disorder criteria: impairments and dysfunctional self-regulation increased participant probability and risk, while religious or spiritual affiliation decreased the probability of and protected participants from depressive symptoms. The findings underscore the complexities of Internet addiction and depression symptoms among a population of diverse online gamers, highlighting a critical need for tailored counseling interventions.

The Association Between Counselor Ratings of Burnout, Working Alliance, and Empathy Among Sex Offender Counselors

Paul A. Carrola, David A. Johnson, Michelle Santana — Fri, 10 Oct 2025 22:19:49 -0700

ABSTRACT

Burnout impacts counselors across work settings and client populations; however, little is known about how burnout is related to the therapeutic relationship among sex offender counselors. In this study, we used linear multiple regression to examine the association between counselor burnout and counselor ratings of their in-session empathy, mindfulness, and the working alliance among sex offender counselors (N = 109). The results indicated that a specific aspect of burnout (i.e., devaluing clients) had a negative relationship with in-session empathy and the working alliance. Counselor mindfulness was not associated with burnout.