Background. Discrimination is associated with risky substance use (Amaro et al., 2021) and hindrances in recovery from substance use problems (Hunter et al., 2022). Resilience buffers against the effects of discrimination (Breslow et al., 2015). However, discrimination and resilience are conceptualized separately in how they impact substance use recovery, despite their clear interwoven nature.

Aims. We aimed to conduct latent profile analysis (LPA) to identify profiles of discrimination experience and resilience among a sample of adults in recovery from alcohol use disorder (AUD) to more holistically capture both disadvantage and advantage in discrimination-resilience. We also sought to examine mean differences between these profiles on protective positive psychological factors in recovery (i.e., recovery capital, human flourishing, self-efficacy, positive affect, and optimism).

Method. Data were derived from an online survey study conducted worldwide among adults who self-identified as being in recovery from AUD. Resilience was measured using the Brief Resilience Scale, and discrimination was measured using the Everyday Discrimination Scale. Measures used to capture positive psychological constructs of interest included the Assessment of Recovery Capital, the PERMA Profiler, the Generalized Self-Efficacy Scale, the Positive and Negative Affect Schedule, and the Life Orientation Test-Revised. All analyses were conducted in Mplus. 

Results. A three-profile model fit best with the data. One profile (profile 1: moderate-moderate) was characterized by near-average levels of resilience and discrimination, the second (profile 2: high-high) had higher levels of resilience and very high discrimination, and the third (profile 3: low-low) was characterized by lower levels of both resilience and discrimination. Significant positive psychological mean differences were observed between profiles, such that individuals in the high-high profile scored higher on recovery capital, flourishing, self-efficacy, and optimism than the other two profiles. On positive affect, the high-high and low-low profiles were comparable. 

Conclusion. Results support that three distinct profiles of individuals in AUD recovery exist in terms of their resilience-discrimination and that these profiles differ on positive psychological protective recovery factors.