The study was published in Alcoholism Treatment Quarterly and co-authored by Dr Kevin McInerney, PhD student at Leeds Trinity University, Professor David Best, the world’s first Professor of Addiction Recovery, and Professor Philip Hodgson, Dean of the Faculty of Social Sciences and Education at Leeds Trinity University.  

The study outlines the positive impact of having meaning and purpose in life for late-onset problem drinkers, who make up one third of all problem drinkers in the over-50 age demographic. This demographic is underrepresented in research and harder to access, and has been described by the Royal College of Psychiatrists as “invisible”, highlighting the importance of the study.  

The study found that participants who had been in recovery for longer displayed a stronger sense of purpose, emphasising the link between sustained recovery and having meaning and purpose in life. 

Additionally, the study considered meaning and purpose in life against several variables in the target demographic, including the onset age of problem drinking and gender, and found that, among the late-onset cohort, the risk to women drinking problematically increased with age. While further investigations are needed in the context of late-onset problem drinking, in line with previous research, the study found that late-onset problem drinking is associated with late-life stressors, such as retirement and children leaving home.  

The study’s findings can inform healthcare professionals who engage with problem drinkers of the positive role that meaning and purpose plays in sustaining recovery and give hope to individuals in early recovery who may be struggling to find reasons to change harmful drinking behaviour.  

Professor David Best, Director of the Centre for Addiction Recovery Research, said:  “The study continues to build our knowledge of addiction recovery in three ways – by focusing on a hidden population of older onset drinkers; by consolidating what we know about the centrality of meaning and purpose in recovery pathways; and by providing further evidence that the addiction and recovery careers of women are fundamentally different from those of men. Dr Kevin McInerney has produced a body of research that has made a huge contribution to this emerging area of applied research”.  

Dr Kevin McInerney said: “I have been extremely fortunate that Professor David Best, one of the world’s leading researchers on recovery from addiction, has supervised me while carrying out this research. David’s understanding, guidance, patience and discerning suggestions, along with his constant and meaningful encouragement, cannot be understated. It has been a privilege to work with him on this project and be a recipient of his vast experience and knowledge in the area of addiction recovery.”  

This recent study contributes to world-leading work from the Centre for Addiction Recovery Research at Leeds Trinity University, which recently secured its first Knowledge Transfer Partnership with the charity Recovery Connections, to create pathways to community engagement, social enterprise and active citizenship for people in addiction recovery and other marginalised groups.