Recovery Capital Scale

Recovery Capital Scale
Robert Granfield and William Cloud introduced and elaborated on the concept of
“recovery capital” in a series of articles and a 1999 book, Coming Clean: Overcoming
Addiction without Treatment. They define recovery capital as the volume of internal and
external assets that can be brought to bear to initiate and sustain recovery from alcohol
and other drug problems. Recovery capital, or recovery capacity, differs from individual
to individual and differs within the same individual at multiple points in time. Recovery
capital also interacts with problem severity to shape the intensity and duration of supports
needed to achieve recovery. This interaction dictates the intensity or level of care one
needs in terms of professional treatment and the intensity and duration of post-treatment
recovery support services. The figure below indicates how these combinations of
problem severity and recovery capital could differ.
High Recovery Capital High Problem Severity /

Complexity
Low Low Recovery Capital

Problem Severity /
Complexity
It
It
It
Clients with high problem severity but very high recovery capital may require few
resources to initiate and sustain recovery than an individual with moderate problem
severity but very low recovery capital. Where the former may respond very well to
outpatient counseling, linkage to recovery mutual aid groups and a moderate level of
ongoing supervision, the latter may require a higher intensity of treatment, greater
enmeshment in a culture of recovery (e.g., placement in a recovery home, greater
intensity of mutual aid involvement, involvement in recovery-based social activities), and
a more rigorous level of ongoing monitoring and supervision.
Traditional addiction assessment instruments do a reasonably good job of
evaluating problem severity and some of the newer instruments improve the assessment
of problem complexity (e.g., co-occurring medical/psychiatric problems), but few
instruments measure recovery capital. The scale on the following page is intended as a
self-assessment instrument to help a client measure his or her degree of recovery capital.
The scale can be completed and discussed in an interview format, or it can be completed
by the client and then discussed with the professional helper.
References
Cloud, W. (1987). From down under: A qualitative study on heroin addiction recovery.
Ann Arbor, MI: Dissertation Abstracts.
Cloud, W. & Granfield, R. (1994). Natural recovery from addictions: Treatment

implications. Addictions Nursing, 6, 112-116.
Cloud, W. & Granfield, R. (1994). Terminating addiction naturally: Post-addict identity

and the avoidance of treatment. Clinical Sociology Review, 12, 159-174.
Cloud, W. & Granfield, R. (2001). Natural recovery from substance dependency: Lessons
for treatment providers. Journal of Social Work Practice in the Addictions, 1(1),
83-104.
Granfield, R. & Cloud, W. (1996). The elephant that no one sees: Natural recovery
among middle-class addicts. Journal of Drug Issues, 26(1), 45-61.
Granfield, R. & Cloud, W. (1999). Coming Clean: Overcoming Addiction Without

Treatment. New York: New York University Press.
Recovery Capital Scale
Place a number by each statement that best summarizes your situation.
5. Strongly Agree
4. Agree
3. Sometimes
2. Disagree
1. Strongly Disagree
___ I have the financial resources to provide for myself and my family.
___ I have personal transportation or access to public transportation.
___ I live in a home and neighborhood that is safe and secure.
___ I live in an environment free from alcohol and other drugs.
___ I have an intimate partner supportive of my recovery process.
___ I have family members who are supportive of my recovery process.
___ I have friends who are supportive of my recovery process.
___ I have people close to me (intimate partner, family members, or friends) who are also
in recovery.
___ I have a stable job that I enjoy and that provides for my basic necessities.
___ I have an education or work environment that is conducive to my long-term
recovery.
___ I continue to participate in a continuing care program of an addiction treatment
program, (e.g., groups, alumni association meetings, etc.)
___ I have a professional assistance program that is monitoring and supporting my
recovery process.
___ I have a primary care physician who attends to my health problems.
___ I am now in reasonably good health.
___ I have an active plan to manage any lingering or potential health problems.
___ I am on prescribed medication that minimizes my cravings for alcohol and other
drugs.
___ I have insurance that will allow me to receive help for major health problems.
___ I have access to regular, nutritious meals.
___ I have clothes that are comfortable, clean and conducive to my recovery activities.
___ I have access to recovery support groups in my local community.
___ I have established close affiliation with a local recovery support group.
___ I have a sponsor (or equivalent) who serves as a special mentor related to my
recovery.
___ I have access to Online recovery support groups.
___ I have completed or am complying with all legal requirements related to my past.
___ There are other people who rely on me to support their own recoveries.
___ My immediate physical environment contains literature, tokens, posters or other
symbols of my commitment to recovery.
___ I have recovery rituals that are now part of my daily life.
___ I had a profound experience that marked the beginning or deepening of my
commitment to recovery.
___ I now have goals and great hopes for my future.
___ I have problem solving skills and resources that I lacked during my years of active
addiction.
___ I feel like I have meaningful, positive participation in my family and community.
___ Today I have a clear sense of who I am.
___ I know that my life has a purpose.
___ Service to others is now an important part of my life.
___ My personal values and sense of right and wrong have become clearer and stronger
in recent years.
Possible Score: 175

My Score: _____
The areas in which I scored lowest were the following:
1. _______________________
2. _______________________
3. _______________________
4. _______________________
5. _______________________
Recovery Capital Plan
After completing and reviewing the Recovery Capital Scale, complete the
following.
In the next year, I will increase my recovery capital by doing the following:
Goal # 1: _____________________________________________________
Goal # 2: _____________________________________________________
Goal # 3: _____________________________________________________
Goal # 4: ______________________________________________________
My Recovery Capital “To Do” List
In the next week, I will do the following activities to move closer to achieving the
above goals:
1.
2.
3.
4.
5.

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Recovery Capital Scale

High Recovery Capital High Problem Severity /

Low Low Recovery Capital

Cloud, W. & Granfield, R. (1994). Natural recovery from addictions: Treatment

Cloud, W. & Granfield, R. (1994). Terminating addiction naturally: Post-addict identity

Granfield, R. & Cloud, W. (1999). Coming Clean: Overcoming Addiction Without

Place a number by each statement that best summarizes your situation.

Possible Score: 175

The areas in which I scored lowest were the following:

My Recovery Capital “To Do” List

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