Structural Topic Modeling Suggests Importance of Relationships in Addiction Recovery

Abstract

Despite the great deal of literature on the problem of heavy drinking and alcohol use, there is relatively little investigation into the lived experience of recovery. The current study addresses this gap through an exploratory thematic analysis of Personal Stories of recovery published in the Alcoholics Anonymous Grapevine magazine. Alcoholics Anonymous (AA) is an abstinence-oriented, social support based recovery program. Over 300 Personal Stories were transcribed and analyzed using the Structural Topic Modeling package for R. The model with optimal semantic coherence and exclusivity outlining the five most prevalent topics across all Personal Stories was selected. The five topics were conceptualized and labeled as Relationships and Spirituality, Positive Change, AA and The Fellowship, Addiction and Consequences, and Family. The results of this study suggest social connection to have a strong influence on the recovery process. The topic model also suggests that individuals who find success in sobriety through involvement with AA may truly adopt the principles of the program as their own. Considerations for future directions are discussed.