Volume 33, Issue 3 (9-2026)
J Transl Med Res. 2026, 33(3): 0-0 |
Back to browse issues page
Research code: 12392700494102022037163072477
Ethics code: IR.IAU.SRB.REC.1404.442
Download citation:
BibTeX | RIS | EndNote | Medlars | ProCite | Reference Manager | RefWorks
Send citation to:
BibTeX | RIS | EndNote | Medlars | ProCite | Reference Manager | RefWorks
Send citation to:
Emamian H, Jalili Z, Tavakoli R, Zanjani S, Mousafarakhani E. Lived experiences of women in addiction recovery: barriers to and facilitators of relapse: An Interpretative Phenomenological Analysis (IPA) Study. J Transl Med Res. 2026; 33 (3)
URL: http://journal.bums.ac.ir/article-1-3629-en.html
URL: http://journal.bums.ac.ir/article-1-3629-en.html
1- Department of Health Education and Health Promotion, SR.C., Islamic Azad University, Tehran, Iran
2- Department of Health Education and Health Promotion, SR.C., Islamic Azad University, Tehran, Iran ,jalili403@iau.ac.ir
3- Department of Epidemiology and Biostatistics, School of Public Health, Mashhad University of Medical Sciences, Mashhad, Iran
2- Department of Health Education and Health Promotion, SR.C., Islamic Azad University, Tehran, Iran ,
3- Department of Epidemiology and Biostatistics, School of Public Health, Mashhad University of Medical Sciences, Mashhad, Iran
Abstract: (1103 Views)
Background and Aims: Relapse is a central challenge after withdrawal from addiction, and substance use disorders are rising among women. This study explored the lived experience of relapse among women in recovery in Bardaskan, Iran.
Materials and Methods: This qualitative study used Interpretative Phenomenological Analysis (IPA), following Smith's framework. In total, 12 women with a history of relapse were recruited through purposive sampling and interviewed using in-depth, semi-structured interviews until data saturation. Each transcript was analyzed idiographically before being compared across cases. Trustworthiness was appraised against Yardley's four criteria.
Results: Analysis of 381 initial codes yielded 17 categories and four Group Experiential Themes: "On the verge of relapse: living amid pain, pressure, and temptation"; "Being seen in the group: finding refuge on the path to recovery"; "Making it possible to stay on the path to recovery"; and "Fear of being seen: the invisible barriers to help-seeking." Bodily pain, emotional dysregulation, eroded self-worth, and environmental pressure converged as drivers of substance use; peer fellowship and restored family bonds strengthened relational connectedness; a changing spousal role, self-recognition, and economic and institutional supports helped sustain abstinence; and stigma fostered a profound fear of exposure.
Conclusion: Relapse among women in recovery is a multidimensional, relationally embedded process that is continually renegotiated within the marital relationship, rather than a static outcome determined by independent risk factors. Self-help groups, such as Narcotics Anonymous, and non-judgmental social support emerged as the most prominent protective factors. Interventions should therefore conceptualize spousal support as a dynamic process rather than a fixed variable.
Materials and Methods: This qualitative study used Interpretative Phenomenological Analysis (IPA), following Smith's framework. In total, 12 women with a history of relapse were recruited through purposive sampling and interviewed using in-depth, semi-structured interviews until data saturation. Each transcript was analyzed idiographically before being compared across cases. Trustworthiness was appraised against Yardley's four criteria.
Results: Analysis of 381 initial codes yielded 17 categories and four Group Experiential Themes: "On the verge of relapse: living amid pain, pressure, and temptation"; "Being seen in the group: finding refuge on the path to recovery"; "Making it possible to stay on the path to recovery"; and "Fear of being seen: the invisible barriers to help-seeking." Bodily pain, emotional dysregulation, eroded self-worth, and environmental pressure converged as drivers of substance use; peer fellowship and restored family bonds strengthened relational connectedness; a changing spousal role, self-recognition, and economic and institutional supports helped sustain abstinence; and stigma fostered a profound fear of exposure.
Conclusion: Relapse among women in recovery is a multidimensional, relationally embedded process that is continually renegotiated within the marital relationship, rather than a static outcome determined by independent risk factors. Self-help groups, such as Narcotics Anonymous, and non-judgmental social support emerged as the most prominent protective factors. Interventions should therefore conceptualize spousal support as a dynamic process rather than a fixed variable.
Keywords: Qualitative Research, Recurrence, Self-Help Groups, Social Support, Substance-Related Disorders, Women
Type of Study: Original Article |
Subject:
Clinical Psychology
Received: 2026/07/15 | Accepted: 2026/10/4 | ePublished: 2026/09/23
Received: 2026/07/15 | Accepted: 2026/10/4 | ePublished: 2026/09/23
Send email to the article author
| Rights and permissions | |
 |
This work is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial 4.0 International License. |
Attribution-NoneCommercial CC BY-NC