Summary:
The article discusses research showing that including family members, partners, or other significant people in substance use disorder (SUD) treatment improves outcomes compared with individual therapy alone. A systematic review and meta-analysis of 16 randomized controlled trials involving over 2,100 participants found that treatment approaches integrating significant others led to better reductions in substance use and related problems than individual therapy without family involvement. These improvements were consistent across types of therapies and persisted for up to 18 months after treatment.
Different forms of involvement — including family therapy, couples therapy, and broader approaches like the Community Reinforcement Approach — were effective, suggesting the benefit of strong social support in SUD care. Although the overall effect size was modest, it was consistent across ages, substances, and treatment formats, highlighting the value of family engagement in enhancing recovery outcomes.
The article emphasizes that expanding the use of family-inclusive interventions could improve engagement, retention, and long-term recovery, but more research is needed to understand which types of relationships and involvement strategies are most effective.