Abstract
In this study, 51 individuals from online substance abuse support groups were surveyed to investigate the mediating role of social support on the relationship between internalized stigma and coping. Regression and bootstrapping were conducted to perform mediation analysis. Findings suggest that social support mediates the negative impact of internalized stigma by facilitating the use of active coping behaviors. This preliminary study sheds light on how rehabilitation counselors integrate social support into substance abuse treatment with particular focus on protecting clients from internalized stigma and its role in facilitating adaptive coping behaviors linked to substance abuse recovery.