POSITIVE EMOTIONS IN RECOVERY: THE LONGITUDINAL RELATIONSHIP BETWEEN POSITIVE EMOTIONS AND SUBSTANCE USE FOR ADULTS IN RECOVERY FROM SUBSTANCE USE DISORDER

Substance use disorders involve a dysfunctional relationship to rewards in which substance-related rewards are over-valued and alternative rewards are devalued. Evidence suggests that PEs function as a source of reward, but little is known about the benefits of PEs for substance use or recovery. This study aims to establish whether there is a lagged, bi-directional relationship between PEs and substance use from PostT to 12moFU among adults entering outpatient SUD treatment. ALT model results showed limited and mixed evidence for a relationship between positive emotions and substance use, with no consistent relational pattern emerging. The LGMSR models for substance use frequency and prioritizing positivity showed a significant cross-lagged relationship from substance use frequency to prioritizing positivity. Future studies may delineate the mechanisms by which substance use impacts prioritization of positive emotions, use more contemporaneous measures of affect, and explore potential moderators of the relationship between substance use and positive emotions.