1. Lifting the Veil on Oxford House Research
Christopher Beasley
DePaul University

2. Overview
• Dissertation Study
– Fit with OH & 12-step groups
• Process
– Generating Ideas
– Proposing Ideas
– Collecting Information
– Making Sense of Numbers
• Current Status

3. Mutual-Help Mechanisms
• Helping behaviors
– Individual outcomes15,16,17,18
– Organization outcomes19,20
– All volunteer and sustained through helping21,22
• Little mutual-help literature
– Other perspectives

4. Hints from the Workplace
• Satisfaction and commitment related to
citizenship behavior23,24,25,26,27,28
• Fit related to citizenship behavior29,30
• Through satisfaction and commitment31
• Ways of fitting32,33
– Similar values
– Needs met by workplace
– Ability to meet demands of the workplace
– Identifying with other members

5. Educated Guess 1
Value
Congruence
Demands-
Abilities
Interpersonal
Similarity
Needs-
Supplies
Satisfaction
Commitment
Citizenship
Behavior

6. Educated Guess 2
Value
Congruence
Commitment

7. Educated Guess 3
Satisfaction
Commitment

8. Educated Guess 4
Needs-
Supplies
Satisfaction

9. Educated Guess 3
Needs-
Supplies
Satisfaction
Commitment

10. Educated Guess 5
Interpersonal
Similarity
Satisfaction
Commitment

11. Educated Guess 6
Satisfaction
Commitment
Citizenship
Behavior

12. Educated Guess 7
Value
Congruence
Commitment
Citizenship
Behavior

13. Educated Guess 8
Interpersonal
Similarity
Satisfaction
Commitment
Citizenship
Behavior

14. Less Educated Guess 1
Demands-
Abilities
Commitment

15. Less Educated Guess 2
Demands-
Abilities
Commitment
Citizenship
Behavior

16. Less Educated Guess 3
Needs-
Supplies
Satisfaction
Commitment
Citizenship
Behavior

17. Proposing Ideas
• Speak with other researchers
• Speak with Oxford House recruiters
• Group meeting with other researchers and
Oxford House recruiters
• Find funding for the study

18. Collecting Information
• Randomly select houses
• Call outreach workers
• Call houses
• Mail questionnaires
• Remind houses w/ calls and postcards
• Pay participants
– 330 Oxford House residents

19. Examining the Numbers
• Enter answers into a database
• Computer software used to look at differences
and relationships
• Statistical experts help us understand the
numbers
• Meet individually and as a group
– Other researchers and Oxford House recruiters
• Write up the results
• Present at conferences

20. Status
• Still receiving questionnaires
– Need 60 more
• Expect to be totally done next summer
– 2½ year process

21. References
1. Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration. (2010). Results from the 2009 National
Survey on Drug Use and Health: National Findings. Rockville, MD: Office of Allied Studies.
2. Craig, R. J. (2004). Counseling the alcohol and drug dependent client: A practical approach. Boston:
Pearson Education, Inc.
3. Inaba, D.S., Cohen, W.E., & Holstein, M. E. (1997). Uppers, downers, all arounders (3rd ed.). Ashland, OR:
CNS Publications, Inc.
4. Kinney, J. (2006). Loosening the grip: A handbook of alcohol information (8th ed.). Boston: McGraw-Hill
5. Office of National Drug Control Policy (2004). The Economic Costs of Drug Abuse in the United States,
1992-2002. Washington, DC: Executive Office of the President (Publication No. 207303). Retrieved from
http://www.ncjrs.gov/ondcppubs/publications/pdf/economic_costs.pdf.
6. Harwood, H. (2000). Updating estimates of the economic costs of alcohol abuse in the United States:
Estimates, update methods and data. National Institute on Alcohol Abuse and Alcoholism, Bethesda, MD.
7. Dutra, L., Stathopoulou, G., Basden, S. L., Leyro, T. M., Powers, M. B., Otto, M. W. (2008). A meta-analytic
review of psychosocial interventions for substance use disorders. American Journal of Psychiatry, 165(2),
179-187.
8. Jason, L.A., Davis, M.I., Ferrari, J.R., & Bishop, P.D. (2001). Oxford House: A review of research and
implications for substance abuse recovery and community research. Journal of Drug Education, 31, 1-27.
9. Oxford House. (2008). Oxford House manual: An idea based on a sound system for recovering alcoholics
and addicts to help themselves. Silver Spring, MD: Oxford House, Inc.
10. Jason, L.A., Davis, M.I., Ferrari, J.R. & Anderson, E. (2007). The need for substance abuse after-care:
Longitudinal analysis of Oxford House, Addictive Behaviors, 32, 803-818.
11. Jason, L.A., Olson, B.D., Ferrari, J.R., & Lo Sasso, A.T. (2006). Communal housing settings enhance
substance abuse recovery. American Journal of Public Health, 91, 1727-1729. PMCID: PMC1586125
12. Jason, L.A., Davis, M.I., Ferrari, J.R. & Anderson, E. (2007). The need for substance abuse after-care:
Longitudinal analysis of Oxford House, Addictive Behaviors, 32, 803-818.
13. Jason, L.A., Olson, B.D., Ferrari, J.R., & Lo Sasso, A.T. (2006). Communal housing settings enhance
substance abuse recovery. American Journal of Public Health, 91, 1727-1729. PMCID: PMC1586125
14. Beasley, C. R., Jason, L. A., Miller, S. A., Stevens, E., & Ferrari, J. R. (2012). Person-Environment
Interactions among Residents of Oxford House Recovery Homes. Manuscript under review.
15. Crape B. L., Latkin C. A., Laris A. S., Knowlton A. R. (2002). The effects of sponsorship in 12-step treatment
of injection drug users. Drug and Alcohol Dependence; 65, 291-301.
16. Magura, S., Laudet, A. B., Mahmood, D., Rosenblum, A., Vogel, H. S., Knight, E. L. (2003). Role of self-help
processes in achieving abstinence among dually diagnosed persons. Addictive Behavior; 28, 399-413.
17. Pagano, M. E., Friend, K. B., Tonigan, J. S., Stout R. L. (2004). Helping other alcoholics in Alcoholics
Anonymous and drinking outcomes: findings from Project MATCH. Journal of Studies on Alcohol; 65, 766-
773.
18. Zemore, S. E., Kaskutas, L. A., & Ammon, L. N. (2004). In 12-step groups, helping helps the helper.
Addiction, 99(8), 1015-1023.
19. King, K., Stewart, D., King, S., & Law, M. (2000). Organizational characteristics and Issues affecting the
longevity of self-help groups for parents of children with special needs. Qualitative Health Research, 10(2),
225-241.
20. Wituk, S. A., Shepherd, M. D., Warren, M., Meissen, G. (2002). Factors contributing to the survival of self-
help groups. American Journal of Community Psychology, 30(3), 349-366..
21. McCrady, B. S. & Miller, W. R. (1993). (Eds.) Alcoholics Anonymous: Opportunities and alternatives. New
Brunswick, NJ: Rutgers Center of Alcohol Studies.
22. Olson, B. D., Viola, J. J., Jason, L. A., Davis, M. I., Ferrari, J. R., & Rabin- Belyaev, O. (2006). Economic
costs of Oxford House inpatient treatment and incarceration: A preliminary report. Journal of Prevention &
Intervention in the Community, 31, 63-74.
23. Organ, D. W., Podsakoff, P. M., & MacKenzie, S. B. (2006). Organizational citizenship behavior: Its nature,
antecedents, and consequences.Thousand Oaks, CA: Sage.
24. LePine, J. A., Erez, A., & Johnson, D. E. (2002). The nature and dimensionality of organizational citizenship
behavior: A critical review and meta-analysis. Journal of Applied Psychology, 87, 52-65.
25. Organ, D. W. & Ryan, K. (1995). A meta-analytic review of attitudinal and dispositional predictors of
organizational citizenship behavior. Personnel Psychology, 48, 775-802.
26. Schappe, S.P. (1998).The influence of job satisfaction, organizational commitment, and fairness perception
on organizational citizenship behaviors. The Journal of Psychology, 132, 277–90.
27. Whitman, D. S., Rooy, D. L. V. & Viswesvaran, C. (2010). Satisfaction, Citizenship Behaviors, and
Performance in Work Units: A Meta-Analysis of Collective Construct Relations. Personnel Psychology, 63,
42 – 81.
28. Zeinabadi, H. (2010). Job satisfaction and organizational commitment as antecedents of Organizational
Citizenship Behavior (OCB) of teachers. Procedia Social and Behavioral Sciences, 5, 998-1003.
29. Hoffman, B. J., & Woehr, D. J. 2006. A quantitative review of the relationship between person-organization
fit and behavioral outcomes. Journal of Vocational Behavior, 68, 389-399.
30. Verquer, M. L., Beehr, T. A., & Wagner, S.H. (2003). A meta-analysis of relations between person-
organization fit and work attitudes. Journal of Vocational Behavior, 63, 473-489.
31. Peng, J-C, & Chiu, S-F (2010). An integrative model linking feedback environment and organizational
citizenship behavior. The Journal of Social Psychology, 150(6), 582-607.
32. Chatman, J. A. (1989). Improving interactional organizational research: A model of person-organization fit.
Academy of Management Review, 14(3), 333-349.
33. Beasley, C. R., Jason, L. A., & Miller, S. A. (2011). The General Environment Fit Scale: A Factor Analysis
and Test of Convergent Construct Validity. Manuscript submitted for review.
34. Cable, D. M., & DeRue, D. S. (2002). The convergent and discriminant validity of subjective fit perceptions.
Journal of Applied Psychology, 87(5), 875-884.
35. Box, W.R., Odom, R.Y. & Dunn, M.G. (1991). Organizational values and value congruency and their impact
on satisfaction, commitment, and cohesion: An empirical examination within the public sector. Public
Personnel Management, 20, 195-205.
36. Hinkle, R. K. & Namok, C. (2009). Measuring person-environment fit: A further validation of the perceived fit
scale. International Journal of Selection and Assessment, 17(3), 324-328.
37. Resick, C.J., Baltes, B.B., & Shantz, C.A. (2007). Person-organization fit and work-related attitudes and
decisions: Examining interactive effects with job fit and conscientiousness. Journal of Applied Psychology,
92, 1446-1455.
38. Greguras, G. J. & Diefendorff, J. M. (2009). Different fits satisfy different needs: Linking person-environment
fit to employee commitment and performance using self-determination theory. Journal of Applied
Psychology, 94(2), 465-477.
39. Ostroff, C., Shin, Y., & Kinicki, A. J. (2005). Multiple perspectives of congruence: Relationships between
value congruence and employee attitudes. Journal of Organizational Behavior, 26, 591-623.
40. Edwards, J. R. (2007). Person-environment fit in organizations: An assessment of theoretical progress. The
Academy of Management Annals, 2(1), 167-230.
41. Shin, Y. & Choi, J. N. (2010). What makes a group of good citizens? The role of perceived group-level fit
and critical psychological states in organizational teams. Journal of Occupational and Organizational
Psychology, 83, 531-552.
42. Van Dick, R., Van Knippenberg, D., Kerschreiter, R., Hertel, G., & Wieseke, J. (2008). Interactive effects of
work group and organizational identitification on job satisfaction and extra-role behavior. Journal of
Vocational Behavior, 72, 388-399.
43. Levine, M., Prosser, A., Evans, D., & Reicher, S. (2005). Identity and Emergency Intervention: How Social
Group Membership and Inclusiveness of Group Boundaries Shapes Helping Behavior Personality and
Social Psychology Bulletin, 31(4), 443-453.
44. Ellemers, N., Spears, R., & Doosje, B. (1997). Sticking together or falling apart: Ingroup identification as a
psychological determinant of group commitment versus individual mobility. Journal of Personality and Social
Psychology, 72, 617-626.
45. Cammann, C., Fichman, M., Jenkins, G. D., & Klesh, J. R. (1983). Assessing the attitudes and
perceptions of organizational members. In S. E. Seashore, E. E. Lawler, P. H. Mirvis, & C. Cammann
(Eds.), Assessing Organizational Change (pp. 71-138). New York: Wiley
46. Meyer, J. P., & Allen, N. J. (1997). Commitment in the workplace. Thousand Oaks, CA: Sage.
47. Van Dyne, L., & LePine, J. A. (1998). Helping and voice-extra role behaviors: Evidence of construct and
predictive validity. Academy of Management Journal, 41, 108-119.
48. Reynolds, W. M. (1982). Development of reliable and valid short forms of the Marlowe-Crowne Social
Desirability Scale. Journal of Clinical Psychology, 38, 119-125.

22. References
1. Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration. (2010). Results from the 2009 National
Survey on Drug Use and Health: National Findings. Rockville, MD: Office of Allied Studies.
2. Craig, R. J. (2004). Counseling the alcohol and drug dependent client: A practical approach. Boston:
Pearson Education, Inc.
3. Inaba, D.S., Cohen, W.E., & Holstein, M. E. (1997). Uppers, downers, all arounders (3rd ed.). Ashland, OR:
CNS Publications, Inc.
4. Kinney, J. (2006). Loosening the grip: A handbook of alcohol information (8th ed.). Boston: McGraw-Hill
5. Office of National Drug Control Policy (2004). The Economic Costs of Drug Abuse in the United States,
1992-2002. Washington, DC: Executive Office of the President (Publication No. 207303). Retrieved from
http://www.ncjrs.gov/ondcppubs/publications/pdf/economic_costs.pdf.
6. Harwood, H. (2000). Updating estimates of the economic costs of alcohol abuse in the United States:
Estimates, update methods and data. National Institute on Alcohol Abuse and Alcoholism, Bethesda, MD.
7. Dutra, L., Stathopoulou, G., Basden, S. L., Leyro, T. M., Powers, M. B., Otto, M. W. (2008). A meta-analytic
review of psychosocial interventions for substance use disorders. American Journal of Psychiatry, 165(2),
179-187.
8. Jason, L.A., Davis, M.I., Ferrari, J.R., & Bishop, P.D. (2001). Oxford House: A review of research and
implications for substance abuse recovery and community research. Journal of Drug Education, 31, 1-27.
9. Oxford House. (2008). Oxford House manual: An idea based on a sound system for recovering alcoholics
and addicts to help themselves. Silver Spring, MD: Oxford House, Inc.

23. 10. Jason, L.A., Davis, M.I., Ferrari, J.R. & Anderson, E. (2007). The need for substance abuse after-care:
Longitudinal analysis of Oxford House, Addictive Behaviors, 32, 803-818.
11. Jason, L.A., Olson, B.D., Ferrari, J.R., & Lo Sasso, A.T. (2006). Communal housing settings enhance
substance abuse recovery. American Journal of Public Health, 91, 1727-1729. PMCID: PMC1586125
12. Jason, L.A., Davis, M.I., Ferrari, J.R. & Anderson, E. (2007). The need for substance abuse after-care:
Longitudinal analysis of Oxford House, Addictive Behaviors, 32, 803-818.
13. Jason, L.A., Olson, B.D., Ferrari, J.R., & Lo Sasso, A.T. (2006). Communal housing settings enhance
substance abuse recovery. American Journal of Public Health, 91, 1727-1729. PMCID: PMC1586125
14. Beasley, C. R., Jason, L. A., Miller, S. A., Stevens, E., & Ferrari, J. R. (2012). Person-Environment
Interactions among Residents of Oxford House Recovery Homes. Manuscript under review.
15. Crape B. L., Latkin C. A., Laris A. S., Knowlton A. R. (2002). The effects of sponsorship in 12-step treatment
of injection drug users. Drug and Alcohol Dependence; 65, 291-301.
16. Magura, S., Laudet, A. B., Mahmood, D., Rosenblum, A., Vogel, H. S., Knight, E. L. (2003). Role of self-help
processes in achieving abstinence among dually diagnosed persons. Addictive Behavior; 28, 399-413.
17. Pagano, M. E., Friend, K. B., Tonigan, J. S., Stout R. L. (2004). Helping other alcoholics in Alcoholics
Anonymous and drinking outcomes: findings from Project MATCH. Journal of Studies on Alcohol; 65, 766-
773.
18. Zemore, S. E., Kaskutas, L. A., & Ammon, L. N. (2004). In 12-step groups, helping helps the helper.
Addiction, 99(8), 1015-1023.
References

24. 19. King, K., Stewart, D., King, S., & Law, M. (2000). Organizational characteristics and Issues affecting the
longevity of self-help groups for parents of children with special needs. Qualitative Health Research, 10(2),
225-241.
20. Wituk, S. A., Shepherd, M. D., Warren, M., Meissen, G. (2002). Factors contributing to the survival of self-
help groups. American Journal of Community Psychology, 30(3), 349-366..
21. McCrady, B. S. & Miller, W. R. (1993). (Eds.) Alcoholics Anonymous: Opportunities and alternatives. New
Brunswick, NJ: Rutgers Center of Alcohol Studies.
22. Olson, B. D., Viola, J. J., Jason, L. A., Davis, M. I., Ferrari, J. R., & Rabin- Belyaev, O. (2006). Economic
costs of Oxford House inpatient treatment and incarceration: A preliminary report. Journal of Prevention &
Intervention in the Community, 31, 63-74.
23. Organ, D. W., Podsakoff, P. M., & MacKenzie, S. B. (2006). Organizational citizenship behavior: Its nature,
antecedents, and consequences.Thousand Oaks, CA: Sage.
24. LePine, J. A., Erez, A., & Johnson, D. E. (2002). The nature and dimensionality of organizational citizenship
behavior: A critical review and meta-analysis. Journal of Applied Psychology, 87, 52-65.
25. Organ, D. W. & Ryan, K. (1995). A meta-analytic review of attitudinal and dispositional predictors of
organizational citizenship behavior. Personnel Psychology, 48, 775-802.
26. Schappe, S.P. (1998).The influence of job satisfaction, organizational commitment, and fairness perception
on organizational citizenship behaviors. The Journal of Psychology, 132, 277–90.
References

25. 27. Whitman, D. S., Rooy, D. L. V. & Viswesvaran, C. (2010). Satisfaction, Citizenship Behaviors, and
Performance in Work Units: A Meta-Analysis of Collective Construct Relations. Personnel Psychology, 63,
42 – 81.
28. Zeinabadi, H. (2010). Job satisfaction and organizational commitment as antecedents of Organizational
Citizenship Behavior (OCB) of teachers. Procedia Social and Behavioral Sciences, 5, 998-1003.
29. Hoffman, B. J., & Woehr, D. J. 2006. A quantitative review of the relationship between person-organization
fit and behavioral outcomes. Journal of Vocational Behavior, 68, 389-399.
30. Verquer, M. L., Beehr, T. A., & Wagner, S.H. (2003). A meta-analysis of relations between person-
organization fit and work attitudes. Journal of Vocational Behavior, 63, 473-489.
31. Peng, J-C, & Chiu, S-F (2010). An integrative model linking feedback environment and organizational
citizenship behavior. The Journal of Social Psychology, 150(6), 582-607.
32. Chatman, J. A. (1989). Improving interactional organizational research: A model of person-organization fit.
Academy of Management Review, 14(3), 333-349.
33. Beasley, C. R., Jason, L. A., & Miller, S. A. (2011). The General Environment Fit Scale: A Factor Analysis
and Test of Convergent Construct Validity. Manuscript submitted for review.
34. Cable, D. M., & DeRue, D. S. (2002). The convergent and discriminant validity of subjective fit perceptions.
Journal of Applied Psychology, 87(5), 875-884.
35. Box, W.R., Odom, R.Y. & Dunn, M.G. (1991). Organizational values and value congruency and their impact
on satisfaction, commitment, and cohesion: An empirical examination within the public sector. Public
Personnel Management, 20, 195-205.
References

26. 36. Hinkle, R. K. & Namok, C. (2009). Measuring person-environment fit: A further validation of the perceived fit
scale. International Journal of Selection and Assessment, 17(3), 324-328.
37. Resick, C.J., Baltes, B.B., & Shantz, C.A. (2007). Person-organization fit and work-related attitudes and
decisions: Examining interactive effects with job fit and conscientiousness. Journal of Applied Psychology,
92, 1446-1455.
38. Greguras, G. J. & Diefendorff, J. M. (2009). Different fits satisfy different needs: Linking person-environment
fit to employee commitment and performance using self-determination theory. Journal of Applied
Psychology, 94(2), 465-477.
39. Ostroff, C., Shin, Y., & Kinicki, A. J. (2005). Multiple perspectives of congruence: Relationships between
value congruence and employee attitudes. Journal of Organizational Behavior, 26, 591-623.
40. Edwards, J. R. (2007). Person-environment fit in organizations: An assessment of theoretical progress. The
Academy of Management Annals, 2(1), 167-230.
41. Shin, Y. & Choi, J. N. (2010). What makes a group of good citizens? The role of perceived group-level fit
and critical psychological states in organizational teams. Journal of Occupational and Organizational
Psychology, 83, 531-552.
42. Van Dick, R., Van Knippenberg, D., Kerschreiter, R., Hertel, G., & Wieseke, J. (2008). Interactive effects of
work group and organizational identitification on job satisfaction and extra-role behavior. Journal of
Vocational Behavior, 72, 388-399.
References

27. 43. Levine, M., Prosser, A., Evans, D., & Reicher, S. (2005). Identity and Emergency Intervention: How Social
Group Membership and Inclusiveness of Group Boundaries Shapes Helping Behavior Personality and
Social Psychology Bulletin, 31(4), 443-453.
44. Ellemers, N., Spears, R., & Doosje, B. (1997). Sticking together or falling apart: Ingroup identification as a
psychological determinant of group commitment versus individual mobility. Journal of Personality and Social
Psychology, 72, 617-626.
45. Cammann, C., Fichman, M., Jenkins, G. D., & Klesh, J. R. (1983). Assessing the attitudes and
perceptions of organizational members. In S. E. Seashore, E. E. Lawler, P. H. Mirvis, & C. Cammann
(Eds.), Assessing Organizational Change (pp. 71-138). New York: Wiley
46. Meyer, J. P., & Allen, N. J. (1997). Commitment in the workplace. Thousand Oaks, CA: Sage.
47. Van Dyne, L., & LePine, J. A. (1998). Helping and voice-extra role behaviors: Evidence of construct and
predictive validity. Academy of Management Journal, 41, 108-119.
48. Reynolds, W. M. (1982). Development of reliable and valid short forms of the Marlowe-Crowne Social
Desirability Scale. Journal of Clinical Psychology, 38, 119-125.
References