The utility of measuring flourishing in substance and alcohol use disorders research: a systematic review

There has been an increasing research interest into positive psychology approaches for alcohol and substance use disorders. However, the specific focus on identifying the value of measuring flourishing, a key concept in positive psychology, in these disorders, as opposed to the traditional measurement of psychopathology, has not been reviewed. A systematic review was therefore undertaken to evaluate the literature on this measurement’s value. 32 articles on the topic were identified of which 12 fulfilled the inclusion criteria. Despite some limitations in the quality of the evidence base, the results indicate that there is some evidence for a negative correlation between flourishing and rates of alcohol and substance use. It also suggests that flourishing should be considered as an essential part of a measure of complete mental health, as a useful measure for assessment within Substance Use Disorders (SUD) and valuable treatment goal in developing sustainable recovery.