Sense of Community Among Individuals in Substance Abuse Recovery

Area of Science:

• Community Psychology
• Psychometrics
• Substance Abuse Rehabilitation

Background:

• Psychological sense of community (PSOC) is a key construct in community psychology, reflecting feelings of belonging and mutual support.
• Oxford Houses are residential facilities offering peer support for individuals recovering from substance abuse.
• Evaluating the PSOC is crucial for understanding the effectiveness of mutual support in recovery environments.

Purpose of the Study:

• To assess the psychometric properties of the Psychological Sense of Community Scale (PSCS).
• To determine the suitability of the PSCS for evaluating community support within Oxford Houses.
• To explore the factor structure and reliability of the PSCS.

Main Methods:

• Psychometric analysis of the Psychological Sense of Community Scale (PSCS).
• Exploratory and confirmatory factor analyses were conducted.
• Reliability and validity were assessed, including potential biases related to sex and race.

Main Results:

• The PSCS demonstrated a multidimensional structure with a cluster of negatively phrased items.
• A three-factor structure was identified, with two factors showing high correlation.
• While initial formulation showed no sex or race bias, these were significant covariates in a later sample.
• Highly reliable five-item subscales were developed.
• The PSCS performed as an acceptable measurement model in latent analysis.

Conclusions:

• The Psychological Sense of Community Scale (PSCS) exhibits acceptable psychometric properties for use in research and evaluation.
• The scale is suitable for measuring psychological sense of community in residential recovery settings like Oxford Houses.
• Further research may refine subscales and explore the influence of demographic factors on community sense.