The Effects of a Recovery High School Program on Recovering Adolescents’ Resilience

Abstract Adverse childhood experiences (ACEs) are strongly linked to substance use disorders (SUD) in adolescents, with youth diagnosed with SUD often reporting elevated ACEs. Supporting resilience and building protective factors are critical components of addressing this risk. However, maintaining adolescent engagement in outpatient substance use treatment can be difficult, highlighting the importance of leveraging short-term interventions in school settings. This study explores the potential of recovery high schools (RHSs) to enhance resilience among adolescents in early recovery. A 90-day participation period was chosen to reflect the typical duration of outpatient SUD treatment and to assess the impact of RHS engagement during this critical timeframe. Secondary data from 30 students at a South Texas RHS were analyzed. At intake, students completed the Teen Pediatric ACEs and Related Life Events Screener and the Child and Youth Resilience Measure-Revised (CYRM-R); the CYRM-R was readministered after 90 days. Findings showed an increase in resilience scores at 90 days compared with those at baseline. These results suggest that RHS environments can support resilience development in adolescents recovering from SUD. School social workers can play a key role by applying trauma-informed and evidence-based practices, and by promoting self-empowerment and developmentally responsive interventions in alignment with the National Association of Social Workers’ adolescent practice standards.