SUD recovery organizations are increasingly incorporating sports-based interventions into their recovery programs, but there is a need for evidence-based practices to ensure the effectiveness of these interventions. There are no research studies on sports-based interventions for behavior change in SUD recovery, and health professionals working in SUD recovery often lack the necessary knowledge for designing and implementing these interventions. Research conducted on the RTS+ project supports the lack of expertise in this area, indicating the need for specialized training. The RACE4LIFE Capacity Building program aims to equip health professionals with the skills to develop and implement personalized behavioral change interventions utilizing sports in SUD recovery.
The RACE4LIFE e-platform is a training tool designed to enhance skills, knowledge, and effectiveness in mental health and sports trainers working in the SUD recovery process, aiming to provide capacity-building resources.
The platform’s first part explores a theoretical framework for substance use disorder recovery and behavioral change interventions. It identifies models, strategies, and techniques used in sports and physical exercise contexts, synthesizes evidence of intervention effectiveness, and applies theories for designing interventions in sports. The guide also emphasizes the benefits of sports participation in promoting physical, mental, and social well-being, life skills, and personal development, using an experiential learning approach.
The RACE4LIFE Sport-Based Behaviour Change Protocol for people with SUD aims to provide tailored sport-based interventions for SUD recovery. The platform’s second part presents and analyzes this protocol to help mental health and sport professionals deliver effective interventions to this vulnerable population.
Connect with the RACE4LIFE e-platform
