The Impact of Peer-Based Recovery Support Services: Mediating Factors of Client Outcomes

Research demonstrates a positive impact of Peer Based Recovery Support Services (PBRSS) facilitated by peer recovery specialists (PRS), who are people in recovery from behavioral health conditions (e.g., substance use disorders [SUD] and mental health conditions). This study investigated PBRSS, their impact on client outcomes (e.g., substance use, health), and the factors (e.g., self-efficacy, perceived relationship with/helpfulness of PRS) mediating the relationship between services and outcomes while controlling for sociodemographic information (e.g., age). Data were collected across 58 sites within 25 agencies providing PBRSS in a state located in Northeastern USA. Cross-lagged panel models were used to examine 12 longitudinal mediational models in a sample of N = 412. Models were examined over two time periods (i.e., T1 and T2). After alpha correction (p = .00417), most results were nonsignificant. However, several findings indicated that constructs were significantly related across time in all models (e.g., self-efficacy at T1 significantly predicted self-efficacy at T2), while many point-in-time associations were also significant (e.g., number of services received was positively related to relationship/helpfulness of PRS at T1 and T2). Better PRS relationship/helpfulness at T1 significantly predicted a lower number of services received at T2, while receiving more services at T1 significantly predicted better PRS relationship/helpfulness at T2. Being older significantly predicted a worse overall health at T2 in some models. While no mediation was found, this study is important as it assists in building models with respect to the mechanisms by which PRS may effect change or not.