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Social sciences
- Behavioural and emotional problems
- Orthopedagogics and special education not elsewhere classified
- Other pedagogical and educational sciences not elsewhere classified
Recovery theory is well established in research, policy, and treatment practice in the UK, US and
Australia and has begun to emerge recently in the Belgian research context, as well as in policy since
2015. However, recovery (and particularly social) capital among substance users with a migration
background remains understudied in national as well as international literature. The aim of this
research project is to study 1) the nature of recovery (and particularly social) capital in substance
users with a migration background, 2) the impact of hypothesized factors (socio-economic
disadvantage, social capital [social network, social and ethnic identity] and double stigma [perceived
discrimination and stigma]) on addiction recovery in this population, and to compare 3) the
identified needs and successes in addiction recovery with the components of and variations among
theories of culturally competent substance abuse treatment (SAT). To this end, we will recruit 120
study participants in early (less than 1 year), sustained (over a year and less than 5 years) and stable
recovery (over 5 years). The study will use mixed methods to assess in-depth the impact of the
hypothesized variables, and remain open to emerging contextual factors impacting addiction
recovery and recovery capital, with a particular focus on social capital and differences between
persons with an intra- and non-European migration background, as the former population is
particularly underrepresented in Flemish SAT.