Youth Recovery: Supporting Adolescents and Young Adults – Reading List 

In this reading list, we provide resources exploring recovery from substance use disorders among adolescents and young adults, with a particular focus on recovery capital, supportive educational environments, and community-based recovery support. Recovery during adolescence and young adulthood presents unique challenges, as young people navigate important developmental transitions, including identity formation, peer relationships, education, and increasing independence. Access to supportive relationships, positive social environments, and appropriate recovery resources can play an important role in promoting sustained recovery and wellbeing. 

Recovery-oriented approaches recognise that recovery extends beyond treatment and requires ongoing support across different areas of young people's lives. Schools, academic institutions, families, peers, and community organisations can contribute to building recovery capital and creating environments that support both recovery and educational achievement. The resources presented in this reading list highlight emerging research on recovery capital among young people, the role of recovery high schools, and the contribution of collegiate recovery programmes in supporting students as they pursue their education while maintaining recovery. 

Understanding Recovery Capital Among Adolescents and Young Adults 

1. Understanding Recovery Capital for Addiction Recovery in Adolescence and Young Adulthood 

This research collection explores the concept of recovery capital among adolescents and young adults, highlighting the personal, social, and community resources that can support recovery from substance use disorders. It examines how developmental factors, family relationships, peer networks, education, and social environments influence young people's recovery experiences. The collection emphasises the importance of understanding recovery capital within the specific developmental context of adolescence and emerging adulthood to inform more responsive recovery support services. 

Link: ISSUP Knowledge Share – Understanding Recovery Capital 

2. A Qualitative Examination of Social Identity and Stigma Among Young People in Recovery 

This study explores the experiences of social identity and stigma among young people affected by substance use disorders. It examines how social relationships, perceptions of identity, and experiences of stigma can influence recovery and social integration. The findings highlight the importance of supportive peer networks, positive social identities, and environments that reduce stigma and promote a sense of belonging. The study contributes to understanding how social factors can strengthen or limit recovery capital among adolescents and young adults. 

Link: ISSUP Knowledge Share – Social Identity and Stigma 

Recovery High Schools: Supporting Recovery Through Education 

3. What is a Recovery High School? 

This resource from the Association of Recovery Schools introduces recovery high schools as specialised educational environments designed to support adolescents recovering from substance use disorders and co-occurring mental health conditions. These schools combine secondary education with recovery support, providing students with opportunities to continue their academic development while maintaining recovery. The resource highlights the importance of creating supportive school environments that promote wellbeing, personal growth, and sustained recovery. 

Link: ISSUP Knowledge Share – What is a Recovery High School? 

4. Recovery High Schools: A Descriptive Study of School Programmes and Students 

This study examines 17 recovery high schools in the United States, providing an overview of their organisational structures, student characteristics, and approaches to recovery support. The findings highlight the complex needs of students, many of whom had previously received substance use treatment and experienced co-occurring mental health challenges. The study reports reductions in substance use and mental health symptoms among participating students, suggesting that recovery high schools may serve as valuable continuing care environments that support recovery alongside academic development.  

Link: ISSUP Knowledge Share – Recovery High Schools: A Descriptive Study 

5. Community Support and Youth Recovery: The Mediating Role of Peer and Parental Disapproval 

This study examines the relationship between community recovery resources, parental and peer attitudes towards substance use, and recovery among young people in the United States. Drawing on data from the Illinois Youth Survey and the Recovery Ecosystem Index, the researchers explored how parental and peer disapproval of substance use may influence the relationship between community recovery support and self-reported recovery. The findings suggest that supportive community environments, together with family and peer influences, play an important role in youth recovery. The study highlights the value of strengthening recovery capital beyond formal treatment settings and fostering supportive social environments that promote recovery among adolescents. 

Link: ISSUP Knowledge Share - Community Support and Youth Recovery: The Mediating Role of Peer and Parental Disapproval 

6. Family Intervention Models for Young Adults with Substance Abuse: A Systematic Review 

This systematic review examines the effectiveness of family-based interventions in addressing substance use among adolescents and young adults. Drawing on 41 studies involving young people aged 10–25 years, the review explores different approaches, including family therapy, counselling and psychoeducation. The findings suggest that involving families in treatment can contribute to reducing substance use and behavioural problems while improving family functioning and relationships. The review highlights the importance of family engagement as part of comprehensive recovery support and reinforces the role of supportive family environments in promoting positive outcomes for young people experiencing substance use problems. 

Link: ISSUP Knowledge Share - Family Intervention Models for Young Adults with Substance Abuse: A Systematic Review 

7. Recovery Schools for Improving Behavioural and Academic Outcomes Among Students in Recovery from Substance Use Disorders: A Systematic Review 

This systematic review examines the effectiveness of recovery schools in supporting substance use and academic outcomes among students recovering from substance use disorders. It considers recovery high schools and collegiate recovery communities as educational settings that combine academic learning with recovery support. The review identifies limited comparative evidence, including one quasi-experimental study involving 194 participants with a potentially serious risk of bias. While recovery schools represent a promising approach to supporting students, the review highlights the need for more rigorous research to establish their effectiveness in improving recovery and educational outcomes.  

Link: ISSUP Knowledge Share – Recovery Schools: A Systematic Review 

8. A Systematic Review of Recovery High Schools and Collegiate Recovery Programmes for Building Recovery Capital Among Adolescents and Emerging Adults 

This systematic review examines the contribution of recovery high schools and collegiate recovery programmes to recovery capital among adolescents and young adults. Drawing on 25 studies, it explores how recovery-supportive educational environments may influence substance use, social relationships, and academic outcomes. The findings suggest that participation in these programmes may be associated with reduced substance use and improved social and educational outcomes. However, limitations in study quality prevent firm conclusions about their effectiveness compared with alternative approaches. The review highlights the potential importance of educational institutions in supporting recovery while emphasising the need for stronger evaluation research.  

Link: ISSUP Knowledge Share – Recovery High Schools and Collegiate Recovery Programmes 

Collegiate Recovery Programmes: Supporting Young Adults in Higher Education 

9. Collegiate Recovery Communities Programmes: What Do We Know and What Do We Need to Know? 

This article examines collegiate recovery programmes as campus-based initiatives designed to support students recovering from substance use disorders. It explores how these programmes provide peer support, recovery-oriented activities, and opportunities for students to maintain recovery while pursuing higher education. The article discusses encouraging early findings relating to recovery and academic achievement, while identifying important gaps in research on programme effectiveness and student outcomes. It highlights the potential contribution of collegiate recovery communities to creating supportive university environments and strengthening recovery capital among young adults.  

Link: ISSUP Knowledge Share – Collegiate Recovery Communities Programmes 

10. Are Collegiate Recovery Programmes Worth the Investment? 

This resource examines the economic value of collegiate recovery programmes and their potential contribution to supporting students in recovery. It considers whether investment in campus-based recovery support can be justified through benefits related to student wellbeing, educational participation, and recovery outcomes. By examining the cost-effectiveness of these programmes, the resource contributes to discussions about their sustainability and the importance of evaluating recovery support services within higher education institutions. 

Link: ISSUP Knowledge Share – Are Collegiate Recovery Programmes Worth the Investment? 

11. Participant Experiences of a Collegiate Recovery Program on a UK University Campus 

This qualitative study explores the experiences of students participating in Better Than Well, a collegiate recovery programme at the University of Birmingham in the United Kingdom. Based on interviews with 10 students, the research highlights the importance of peer support, a sense of community and belonging, and opportunities for personal empowerment in supporting recovery during university life. Participants described how individual and group meetings, supportive relationships and substance-free social activities helped reduce isolation and strengthen their recovery identities. The findings provide a practical example of how collegiate recovery programmes can foster recovery capital and create supportive environments for students navigating higher education while maintaining recovery. 

Link: ISSUP Knowledge Share - Participant Experiences of a Collegiate Recovery Program on a UK University Campus 

12. Advancing the Science of Evaluating Collegiate Recovery Programme Processes and Outcomes: A Recovery Capital Perspective 

This article explores approaches to evaluating collegiate recovery programmes through the concept of recovery capital. It proposes a theory of change, a logic model, and data collection tools to better understand how programme activities and supportive environments contribute to recovery outcomes among university students. The authors highlight the importance of examining personal, social, and environmental factors when assessing programme effectiveness. The article provides practical guidance for researchers and programme planners seeking to strengthen the evaluation and development of recovery support services in higher education.  

Link: ISSUP Knowledge Share – Advancing the Science of Evaluating Collegiate Recovery Programmes 

Key Takeaway 

These resources highlight the importance of recognising recovery among adolescents and young adults as an ongoing process shaped by developmental, social, and educational factors. Recovery capital, supportive peer relationships, and recovery-oriented educational environments can contribute to creating opportunities for young people to maintain recovery while pursuing their personal and academic goals. Recovery high schools and collegiate recovery programmes offer promising models for integrating recovery support into educational settings, although further research is needed to establish their long-term effectiveness. Strengthening collaboration between education, treatment, recovery services, families, and communities can help create more comprehensive and developmentally appropriate systems of support for young people in recovery.