Exploring Sex Differences in Oxford House Residents Regarding Quality of Life, Sense of Community, and Length of Stay

Background/Objectives: Substance use disorders (SUD) pose a significant public health challenge, with 47.7 million people nationwide struggling to end their addiction. Individuals in recovery from SUDs are at an elevated risk of relapses, even after an extended period of abstinence from substances. While the importance of social relationships in addiction recovery has been extensively researched, the specific ways addiction recovery differs between sex/gender within Oxford House (OH) settings needs further research. Some evidence suggests males and females experience SUD differently and respond distinctively to recovery. Methods: We recruited 229 participants from 42 OH recovery homes, with 55.5% (n = 127) male participants. Moderated mediation model seven by Andrew F. Hayes was used to determine the relationship between quality of life, length of stay, sense of community, and sex/gender. Results: Length of stay was a significant predictor of sense of community, with longer stays associated with stronger perceived community ties. Additionally, quality of life had a robust direct effect on sense of community. We found that there is a small indirect effect of quality of life on sense of community through length of stay for females. Conclusions: These findings suggest that while quality of life and length of stay both independently contribute to individuals’ sense of community, the mediating role of length of stay appears to be more pronounced among females. Further research is needed to understand and address sex/gender-specific recovery experiences.