A major challenge facing many individuals attempting recovery from substance use disorders is finding a stable living environment that supports abstinence. Sober living houses (SLHs) are alcohol- and drugfree living environments for individuals who are attempting to maintain abstinence and develop a recovery-oriented lifestyle (Polcin & Henderson, 2008). Despite research showing that living environments supportive of recovery are associated with better outcome (e.g., Braucht, et al., 1995), SLHs have been largely overlooked by policymakers and researchers. This article represents a first step toward correcting this oversight. After reviewing selected studies that show alcohol and drug use is associated with characteristics of social networks and living environments, SLHs are introduced as an underutilized resource for alcohol- and drug-free housing. The article further describes an exploratory investigation of outcomes for 245 individuals entering SLHs. We also examined factors that we considered important in predicting outcome, such as 12-Step involvement and substance use in the social network. > > > > Read More
