title: Maintenance factors of recovery from alcohol dependence in treated and untreated individuals.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  Research on natural recovery from alcohol dependence has focused mainly on triggering mechanisms of the remission process. Only a few studies have considered maintenance factors of natural recovery.
  
  
  METHODS
  In the present study, 93 natural remitters and 42 self-help group participants were compared. Both groups remitted from alcohol dependence according to DSM-IV criteria. Several alcohol-related variables and maintenance factors of the remission process were assessed in a personal interview by using standardized questionnaires.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Logistic regression analysis that focused on maintenance factors showed that, independent from direct self-help group context, self-help group attendees informed more individuals about their former alcohol problems and sought social support more often as a coping strategy to deal with craving. No further group differences could be identified.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Self-help group participants revealed a higher social engagement to maintain their recovery. Besides this major difference, data support the assumption that more commonalities than differences exist within successful recoveries from alcohol dependence, independent of help-seeking status.
authors.affiliation: Ernst-Moritz-Arndt University Greifswald, Department of Epidemiology and Social Medicine, Germany. bischof.g@psychiatry.mu-Luebeck.de
authors.forename: G
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Bischof
authors.forename: H J
authors.initials: HJ
authors.lastname: Rumpf
authors.forename: U
authors.initials: U
authors.lastname: Hapke
authors.forename: C
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Meyer
authors.forename: U
authors.initials: U
authors.lastname: John
mesh_terms: D000223:Adaptation, Psychological; D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D000436:Alcoholics Anonymous; D000437:Alcoholism / Q000523:psychology / Q000534:rehabilitation*; D005260:Female; D005500:Follow-Up Studies; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D009042:Motivation; D012648:Self Care / Q000523:psychology; D020377:Self Efficacy; D012657:Self-Help Groups; D012944:Social Support; D013695:Temperance / Q000523:psychology*