Starting from Strength: How Understanding and Following Personality and Character Traits can Impact Addiction Treatment

Location: Capra Session Description: Data collected from a 4-year period which includes over 170 participants reveal that identifying leadership traits can lead to enhanced self-understanding, dignity, and self respect while diminishing levels of shame and isolation. This presentation builds upon the previous studies by Dr. Roop on the leadership traits that are commonly shared among people with substance use disorder and highly effective leaders. These traits can become a foundation theme which promotes discovery of career pathways and entrepreneurial opportunities while cultivating healthier relationships and positive societal impact.
The current study includes over 100 participants from multiple Kentucky treatment centers, as well as 400 participants from Albuquerque, New Mexico's pretrial diversion program. All participants are following an approach and curriculum which incorporates assessments to identify their specific traits that can be used to establish a person-centered approach to recovery. Other instruments which can be used provide elucidation of leadership styles that are categorized into personality profiles and archetypes, which enhance levels of commitment to the recovery journey. The data being collected at all locations can be used for comparative analysis purposes across various locations and organizations. This evidence-based approach can offer new insights into best practices when considering psychosocial therapeutic modalities.