Substance addiction is a complex condition with wide-ranging effects, including profound social and vocational disruption (Volkow & Koob, 2015). This study explores work values and career adaptability among individuals with psychotropic substance addiction—a population rarely examined in career development research. Work values, long recognised as central to career development (e.g., Holland, 1997; Super et al., 1996), guide what people consider meaningful and desirable in a career and influence decisions about work reintegration. Yet their role among socially vulnerable groups, such as people with addiction, remains largely unexplored, particularly in Greece. Understanding these values is vital for supporting occupational recovery and sustainable employment. Career adaptability, a key concept in Career Construction Theory (Savickas, 2013), describes psychosocial resources for coping with career tasks, transitions, and disruptions. It encompasses four dimensions—concern, control, curiosity, and confidence—and helps explain how individuals give meaning to career paths and manage change. Studying career adaptability among people in addiction recovery can inform tailored counselling and vocational support.
This study surveyed 100 participants enrolled in KETHEA Nostos, a nationally recognized residential and community-based rehabilitation program for people recovering from substance addiction in Greece. All had a history of psychoactive substance use (e.g., heroin, cocaine, alcohol, prescription drugs). We examined their work values and career adaptability profiles, as well as relationships between these constructs and demographic or addiction-related factors (such as years of use and time in treatment). Findings highlight predominant work values and patterns of career adaptability in this group, shedding light on how individuals in recovery envision and manage their vocational futures. Results provide practical implications for career counselling and supported employment interventions, emphasising strengths-based, person-centred approaches that foster meaning, resilience, and sustainable work participation during mental health recovery.