Predictors of Post-release Drug Use Recovery Among Previously Incarcerated Women: the Mediating Effect of Social Services

Although social services are recognized as being critical for the successful recovery from drug use among previously incarcerated women, empirical knowledge about the actual role that social services play in the recovery process is limited. This study addresses this gap in knowledge by assessing the effect of social service and individual-level factors on post-release drug use recovery for a sample of 166 women previously incarcerated in Taiwan for drug-related offenses. This is a quantitative study employing a 180-item survey questionnaire comprised of scales on personal-level factors, formal social support, and satisfaction with services. Path analysis was used to assess the direct and mediating effects of social services and respondents’ satisfaction with those services on drug use recovery. Personal-level factors, including informal social support, coping mechanisms, psychological health, and addressed life needs, were found to have direct effects on respondents’ drug use recovery. Formal social support and satisfaction with services were found to mediate the effect of informal social support and coping mechanisms on women’s drug use recovery. The study suggests that services that are responsive to the individualized needs of post-release women who often have limited resources will increase their levels of satisfaction with their support and, in turn, significantly impact recovery outcomes.