College of Education and Human Development

School of Social Work

Amy Krentzman

  • Pronouns: she, her, hers

  • Associate Professor

  • School of Social Work
    Room 183 Peters Hall
    1404 Gortner Ave
    St Paul, MN 55108
     

  • akrentzm@umn.edu

Areas of interest

Alcohol and other substance use disorders, addiction treatment and recovery, 12-step programs, sober living houses, spirituality, gratitude, forgiveness, positive psychology, journaling to support addiction recovery, recovery in rural communities, and communication skills in social work practice.

Degrees

PhD, Case Western Reserve University
MSW, New York University
BA, Northwestern University

Biography

Dr. Krentzman’s research focuses on factors that promote the initiation and maintenance of recovery from alcohol and other substance use disorders, particularly the mechanisms of therapeutic change that are precipitated by professional treatment, sober living houses, recovery community organizations, and mutual-aid programs. Recent research projects explore the experience of addiction recovery in rural communities and journaling to support addiction recovery.

Selected Activities

See Google Scholar for a complete list of Dr. Krentzman's research publications.

Publications

Krentzman, A. R., Bowen, E. A., & Zemore, S. E. (2024). Happiness with recovery from alcohol and substance use disorders predicts both abstinence and treatment retention. The Journal of Positive Psychology. https://doi.org/10.1080/17439760.2024.2431686

Krentzman, A. R., Hoeppner, S. S., Hoeppner, B. B., & Barnett, N. P. (2024) A randomized feasibility study of a positive psychology journaling intervention to support recovery from substance use disorders. Journal of Substance Use and Addiction Treatment. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.josat.2024.209410

Krentzman, A. R. & Gass, Julie C. (2024). 'I like checking in on myself”: Control group experiences in a strengths-based addiction recovery study, with implications for self-monitoring and measurement reactivity. Qualitative Social Work. https://doi.org/10.1177/14733250241262347

Charzynska, E., Wnuk, M. & Krentzman, A. R. (2023). The 12-step pathway to spiritual growth and gratitude and its relationship with well-being among members of Sexaholics Anonymous in Poland. Journal of Religion and Health. https://doi.org/10.1007/s10943-023-01892-7

Krentzman, A. R., Hoeppner, B. B., Hoeppner, S. S., & Barnett, N. P. Development, feasibility, acceptability, and impact of a positive psychology journaling intervention to support addiction recovery. (2022 online) The Journal of Positive Psychology. https://doi.org/10.1080/17439760.2022.2070531

Krentzman, A. R. & Glass, L. K. (2021). Gossip and addiction recovery in rural communities. Qualitative Health Research, 31(14), 2571-2584. https://www.doi.org/10.1177/10497323211041109

Krentzman, A. R., Sharratt, M., Mannella, K. A., Foster, K. T., Yarosh, S., & Jester, J. M. (2021). Characteristics of women in sober living houses: Baseline characteristics and their associations with reasons for leaving. Journal of Social Work Practice in the Addictions. https://doi.org/10.1080/1533256X.2021.1935156

Krentzman, A. R. (2021). Helping clients engage with remote mutual aid for addiction recovery during COVID-19 and beyond. Alcoholism Treatment Quarterly, 39(3), 348-365. https://doi.org/10.1080/07347324.2021.1917324

Krentzman, A. R. (2019). A full and thankful heart: Writings about gratitude by Alcoholics Anonymous co-founder, Bill Wilson. Addiction Research & Theory. doi: 10.1080/16066359.2018.1547816. http://dx.doi.org/10.1080/16066359.2018.1547816

Krentzman, A. R. (2017). Gratitude, abstinence, and alcohol use disorders: Report of a preliminary finding. Journal of Substance Abuse Treatment, 78, 30-36 http://dx.doi.org/10.1016/j.jsat.2017.04.013

Krentzman, A. R. (2015, Fall). The yin and yang of positive psychology and addiction. Invited essay. The Addictions Newsletter of the American Psychological Association, Division 50, also available on SocArXiv Papers.

Krentzman, A.R., Mannella, K.A., Hassett, A.L., Barnett, N., Cranford, J.A., Brower, K.J., Higgins, M.M., & Meyer, P.S. (2015). Feasibility, Acceptability, and Impact of a Web-based Gratitude Exercise among Individuals in Outpatient Treatment for Alcohol Use Disorders. The Journal of Positive Psychology, 10(6), 477-488. http://www.doi.org/10.1080/17439760.2015.1015158

Krentzman, A.R., Higgins, M.M., Staller, K., Klatt, E.S. (2015). Alexithymia, Emotional Dysregulation, and Recovery from Alcoholism: Therapeutic Response to Assessment of Mood. Qualitative Health Research 25(6), 794-805. http://www.doi.org/10.1177/1049732315577608

Krentzman, A. R.; Cranford, J. A.; & Robinson, E. A. R. (2013): Multiple Dimensions of Spirituality in Recovery: A Lagged Mediational Analysis of Alcoholics Anonymous’ Principal Theoretical Mechanism of Behavior Change, Substance Abuse, 34:1, 20-32. http://www.doi.org/10.1080/08897077.2012.691449

Krentzman, A. R. (2013). Review of the Application of Positive Psychology to Substance Use, Addiction, and Recovery Research. Psychology of Addictive Behaviors, 27(1), 151-165. http://www.doi.org/10.1037/a0029897