Protocol - Multidimensional Assessment of Recovery Capital

Description

The Multidimensional Inventory of Recovery Capital (MIRC) is a 28-item self-assessed or interviewer-administered questionnaire of recovery capital, covering four domains: social, physical, human, and cultural. There are four scales consisting of seven questions each. Each question is rated from 1 (Strongly Disagree) to 4 (Strongly Agree). Scoring instructions are provided.

Specific Instructions

The PhenX Substance Use and Recovery Working Group (WG) notes that the Multidimensional Inventory of Recovery Capital (MIRC) uses language like “my recovery,” although not everyone identifies with such terminology. The Substance Use and Recovery WG recommends that researchers should inquire how participants identify (e.g., “attempting to resolve a problem”, “resolved a problem”) and use that terminology. A sample scoring chart can be obtained as supplemental materials to Bowen et al. (2023).

Terminology related to substances, substance use, and recovery is fluid. Updates in protocol language may be appropriate based on circumstance. Suggestions for revision have been offered to update answer responses or other components of the questionnaires to account for the constantly changing landscape. These suggestions have not been tested or validated in research studies but may be considered by investigators to enhance relevance.

The Substance Use and Recovery WG notes that the BARC-10 is a quick, self-administered unidimensional assessment of recovery capital. In contrast, the MIRC is a more comprehensive multi-dimensional assessment that was validated in US populations and may be more sensitive to change.

Protocols may include terms and language that could be triggering to respondents. Investigators are encouraged to have resources in place to help respondents cope with triggers as needed.

Availability

This protocol is freely available; permission not required for use.

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Protocol

Multidimensional Inventory of Recovery Capital (MIRC)

Instructions: This survey asks how strongly you agree or disagree with each statement based on your current situation or how you feel right now. Your answers help identify resources and challenges in recovery. There are no right or wrong answers.

Social Capital	1 Strongly Disagree	2 Disagree	3 Agree	4 Strongly Agree
1. I actively support other people who are in recovery.
2. My family makes my recovery more difficult.
3. I have at least one friend who supports my recovery.
4. My family supports my recovery.
5. Some people in my life do not think I’ll make it in my recovery.
6. I feel alone.
7. I feel like I’m part of a recovery community.

Physical Capital	1 Strongly Disagree	2 Disagree	3 Agree	4 Strongly Agree
8. My housing situation is helpful for my recovery.
9. I have difficulty getting transportation.
10. My housing situation is unstable.
11. I have enough money every week to buy the basic things I need.
12. Not having enough money makes my recovery more difficult.
13. I can afford the care I need for my health, mental health, and recovery.
14. I have reliable access to a phone and the internet.

Human Capital	1 Strongly Disagree	2 Disagree	3 Agree	4 Strongly Agree
15. I find it hard to have fun.
16. I feel physically healthy most days.
17. I am struggling with guilt or shame.
18. I am experiencing a lot of stress.
19. My education and training have prepared me to handle life‘s challenges.
20. I have problems with my mental health.
21. I feel my life has purpose and meaning.

Cultural Capital	1 Strongly Disagree	2 Disagree	3 Agree	4 Strongly Agree
22. It’s hard for me to trust others.
23. I have opportunities to participate in fun activities that do not involve drugs and alcohol.
24. I feel disconnected from my culture or not part of any culture.
25. I feel like an outcast.
26. There are helpful services and resources accessible to me.
27. It‘s hard to let go of the part of my identity that was linked to my drinking or drug use.
28. My neighborhood or town feels safe.

Scoring Instructions:

Please see the written instructions below. For a visual example, see the sample scoring chart and blank scoring chart included at: socialwork.buffalo.edu/resources/multidimensional-inventory-recovery-capital.html.

Step 1. Write the score for each survey item in the ‘Starting Score’ column.

Step 2. For the items highlighted in yellow (items 2, 5, 6, 9, 10, 12, 15, 17, 18, 20, 22, 24, 25, and 27), change the scores from 4 to 1, 3 to 2, 2 to 3, or 1 to 4. Write the new score in the ‘Reverse Score’ column.

Step 3. If the item has a ‘Reverse Score’ write that in the ‘Final Score’ column. If it does not, write the ‘Starting Score’ in the ‘Final Score’ column.

Step 4. Add the final scores in each section together. Write this in the light gray Social, Physical, Human, and Cultural Capital ‘Total’ boxes. The minimum score is 7, the middle score is 17-18, and the maximum score is 28.

Step 5. Add the ‘Total’ scores from each section and write this in the dark gray ‘Overall Recovery Capital’ ‘Total’ box. The minimum score is 28, the middle score is 70, and the maximum score is 112.

Personnel and Training Required

The interviewer must be trained to conduct personal interviews with individuals from the general population. The interviewer must be trained and found to be competent (i.e., tested by an expert) at the completion of personal interviews.* The interviewer should be trained to prompt respondents further if a “don‘t know” response is provided.

* There are multiple modes to administer this question (e.g., paper-and-pencil and computer-assisted interviews).

Equipment Needs

Either a paper-and-pencil or computer-assisted instrument may be used. If a computer-assisted instrument is used, computer software may be necessary to develop the instrument. The interviewer will require a laptop computer/handheld computer to administer a computer-assisted questionnaire.

Requirements

Requirement Category	Required
Major equipment	No
Specialized training	No
Specialized requirements for biospecimen collection	No
Average time of greater than 15 minutes in an unaffected individual	No

Mode of Administration

Self-administered or interviewer-administered questionnaire

Lifestage

Adult

Participants

18 years or older

Selection Rationale

The Multidimensional Inventory of Recovery Capital (MIRC) was compared to similar instruments and was selected because it is a freely available, short, well-validated measure of recovery capital that is easy to administer and score.

Language

English

Standards

Standard	Name	ID	Source

Derived Variables

None

Process and Review

Not Applicable

Protocol Name from Source

Multidimensional Inventory of Recovery Capital (MIRC)

Source

Bowen, E., Irish, A., Wilding, G., LaBarre, C., Capozziello, N., Nochajski, T., Granfield, R., & Kaskutas, L. A. (2023). Development and psychometric properties of the Multidimensional Inventory of Recovery Capital (MIRC). Drug and Alcohol Dependence, 247, 109875.
doi.org/10.1016/j.drugalcdep.2023.109875

General References

Galanter, M., White, W. L., Hunter, B., & Khalsa, J. (2024). Internet-based, continuously available Narcotics Anonymous meetings: A new resource for access to Twelve Step support for abstinence. American Journal of Drug and Alcohol Abuse, 50(3), 321-327.
doi.org/10.1080/00952990.2024.2309648

Kelly, J. F., Greene, M. C., & Bergman, B. G. (2018). Beyond abstinence: Changes in indices of quality of life with time in recovery in a nationally representative sample of U.S. adults. Alcoholism, Clinical and Experimental Research, 42(4), 770-780.
doi:10.1111/acer.13604

Thompson, R. A., Johnson, D., Ashworth, M., & Stott, M. (2024). Establishing quality and outcome measures for recovery housing: A tiered approach supporting service evolution. Community Mental Health Journal, 60(4), 681-690.
doi.org/10.1007/s10597-023-01219-6

Protocol ID

590501

Variables

Export Variables

Variable Name	Variable ID	Variable Description	dbGaP Mapping
PX590501_Recovery_Capital_Access_Communication
	PX590501140000	I have reliable access to a phone and the more internet. show less	N/A
PX590501_Recovery_Capital_Afford_Care
	PX590501130000	I can afford the care I need for my health, more mental health, and recovery. show less	N/A
PX590501_Recovery_Capital_Difficult_Transport
	PX590501090000	I have difficulty getting transportation.	N/A
PX590501_Recovery_Capital_Disconnected_Culture
	PX590501240000	I feel disconnected from my culture or not more part of any culture. show less	N/A
PX590501_Recovery_Capital_Education_Training_Prepare
	PX590501190000	My education and training have prepared me more to handle life's challenges. show less	N/A
PX590501_Recovery_Capital_Enough_Money
	PX590501110000	I have enough money every week to buy the more basic things I need. show less	N/A
PX590501_Recovery_Capital_Family_Difficult
	PX590501020000	My family makes my recovery more difficult.	N/A
PX590501_Recovery_Capital_Family_Support
	PX590501040000	My family supports my recovery.	N/A
PX590501_Recovery_Capital_Feel_Alone
	PX590501060000	I feel alone.	N/A
PX590501_Recovery_Capital_Feel_Outcast
	PX590501250000	I feel like an outcast.	N/A
PX590501_Recovery_Capital_Friend_Support
	PX590501030000	I have at least one friend who supports my more recovery. show less	N/A
PX590501_Recovery_Capital_Fun_Activities
	PX590501230000	I have opportunities to participate in fun more activities that do not involve drugs and alcohol. show less	N/A
PX590501_Recovery_Capital_Guilt_Shame
	PX590501170000	I am struggling with guilt or shame.	N/A
PX590501_Recovery_Capital_Hard_Fun
	PX590501150000	I find it hard to have fun.	N/A
PX590501_Recovery_Capital_Hard_Trust
	PX590501220000	It's hard for me to trust others.	N/A
PX590501_Recovery_Capital_Helpful_Housing
	PX590501080000	My housing situation is helpful for my recovery.	N/A
PX590501_Recovery_Capital_Helpful_Services_Avail
	PX590501260000	There are helpful services and resources more accessible to me. show less	N/A
PX590501_Recovery_Capital_Let_Go_Identity
	PX590501270000	It's hard to let go of the part of my more identity that was linked to my drinking or drug use. show less	N/A
PX590501_Recovery_Capital_Mental_Health
	PX590501200000	I have problems with my mental health.	N/A
PX590501_Recovery_Capital_Neighborhood_Safe
	PX590501280000	My neighborhood or town feels safe.	N/A
PX590501_Recovery_Capital_Not_Enough_Money
	PX590501120000	Not having enough money makes my recovery more more difficult. show less	N/A
PX590501_Recovery_Capital_Part_Community
	PX590501070000	I feel like I'm part of a recovery community.	N/A
PX590501_Recovery_Capital_People_Not_Recover
	PX590501050000	Some people in my life do not think I'll more make it in my recovery. show less	N/A
PX590501_Recovery_Capital_Physically_Healthy
	PX590501160000	I feel physically healthy most days.	N/A
PX590501_Recovery_Capital_Purpose_Meaning
	PX590501210000	I feel my life has purpose and meaning.	N/A
PX590501_Recovery_Capital_Stress
	PX590501180000	I am experiencing a lot of stress.	N/A
PX590501_Recovery_Capital_Support_Others
	PX590501010000	I actively support other people who are in more recovery. show less	N/A
PX590501_Recovery_Capital_Unstable_Housing
	PX590501100000	My housing situation is unstable.	N/A

Substance Use Recovery

Measure Name

Recovery Capital

Release Date

May 8, 2025

Definition

Recovery capital is the entire set of internal and external strength-based resources that can be brought to bear on a recovery attempt.

Purpose

Recovery capital is a strong predictor of remission and is recommended for use in addiction treatment placement criteria.

Keywords

relationships, support networks, community connections, Housing, financial stability, transportation, skills, education, health, employment, values, beliefs, norms, cultural identity, recovery, substance use, substance use disorder, addiction

Measure Protocols

Protocol ID	Protocol Name
590501	Multidimensional Assessment of Recovery Capital
590502	Unidimensional Assessment of Recovery Capital