The relationship between activity behaviors and spirituality in patients with substance use disorders.

Abstract

Spirituality-based substance-use disorder (SUD) treatment programs have been found to promote addiction recovery. Some programs also incorporate holistic wellness approaches targeting improved physical activity and sedentary behavior. The study aims to evaluate associations of physical activity, sedentary behavior, and spirituality in patients entering SUD treatment. Cross-sectional data of patients (n= 1,210) entering SUD treatment were analyzed. Variables of interest included spirituality (Religious Background and Behavior Questionnaire) and activity behaviors (International Physical Activity Questionnaire-Short Form). Self-reported sedentary levels were coded based on the national average [>6 hours/day; high/low], and moderate-to-vigorous physical activity (MVPA) levels were coded based on meeting the recommended guidelines (≥ 150 minutes/week; yes/no). Welch’s two sample t-tests and effect sizes (Cohen’s d) showed a significant difference in spirituality scores based on meeting the guidelines (t(1105.3)= -5.66, p< 0.001, d=0.34). There was not a significant difference in spirituality based on self-reported sedentary behavior (t(1192.4)=-1.20, p=0.22, d=0.07). Overall, the results show that being physically active was more important for spirituality than having low sedentary time. As high spirituality is helpful in addiction recovery, our results suggest that increasing physical activity within SUD treatment could increase spirituality levels, which could lead those programs to have higher overall treatment success rates.