title: The effect of 12-step based fellowship participation on abstinence among dually diagnosed persons: a two-year longitudinal study.
abstract: A large percentage of individuals are dually-diagnosed with a psychiatric disorder and a substance use disorder. Such persons typically face more difficulties and have poorer outcomes than do single disorder substance users. Among noncomorbid substance users, treatment and participation in 12-Step groups have been shown to enhance the likelihood of abstinence from substance misuse. Specialized 12-Step based fellowships have recently emerged to address the recovery needs of dually-diagnosed persons. The present study is a longitudinal investigation of the effect of such 12-Step based groups on abstinence among dually-diagnosed persons. Participants were members of Double Trouble in Recovery (DTR) who were recruited at community-based meetings in New York City and reinterviewed twice at yearly intervals. Generalized estimating equation analysis indicated that, over the two-year study period, ongoing DTR attendance was significantly associated with a greater likelihood of abstinence after controlling for other pertinent variables, such as mental health symptoms. For clinicians, these findings underline the importance of fostering stable affiliation with specialized 12-Step based groups among their clients.
authors.affiliation: National Development and Research Institutes, Inc, New York, New York 10010, USA. laudet@ndri.org
authors.forename: Alexandre B
authors.initials: AB
authors.lastname: Laudet
authors.forename: Stephen
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Magura
authors.forename: Charles M
authors.initials: CM
authors.lastname: Cleland
authors.forename: Howard S
authors.initials: HS
authors.lastname: Vogel
authors.forename: Edward L
authors.initials: EL
authors.lastname: Knight
authors.forename: Andrew
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Rosenblum
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D016009:Chi-Square Distribution; D017831:Diagnosis, Dual (Psychiatry) / Q000706:statistics & numerical data; D005260:Female; D005500:Follow-Up Studies; D006801:Humans; D007407:Interviews as Topic / Q000379:methods; D008137:Longitudinal Studies; D008297:Male; D001523:Mental Disorders / Q000453:epidemiology* / Q000523:psychology / Q000628:therapy*; D008875:Middle Aged; D015999:Multivariate Analysis; D016017:Odds Ratio; D012657:Self-Help Groups / Q000706:statistics & numerical data*; D019966:Substance-Related Disorders / Q000453:epidemiology* / Q000523:psychology / Q000628:therapy*