THE RELATIONSHIP OF SENSE OF COMMUNITY AND TRUST TO HOPE

Abstract

Settings that have ecological variables that instill hope might be particularly effective for treating individuals with substance use disorders. More specifically, trust and sense of community could be of importance in the fostering of hope among individuals in recovery from substance use disorders. Our study included a sample of individuals who were living in or had lived in Oxford House recovery homes. We found that both sense of community and trust are ecological aspects of settings that had important influences on hope, because an engaged individual tends to value trust relationships. Perceptions of the house operating effectively was positively related to individuals’ assessment of the house as a good setting, but the house was not perceived to be as effective when the residents were not invested in the setting. The sense of community self factor was the best predictor of hope, suggesting that individuals’ personal investment in their house community are related to their hopefulness in terms of goal attainment and opportunities. Associations of hopefulness, personal commitment, and a supportive ecology provide evidence that an individual's perspective on recovery encompasses personal, environmental, and temporal perceptions.