Patients' abstinence status affects the benefits of 12-step self-help group participation on substance use disorder outcomes.
BACKGROUND
Studies measuring the effectiveness of 12-step self-help group attendance have yielded mixed results but none of the prior studies have accounted for the potential impact of interim abstinence status.


METHODS
Participants were 1683 patients with substance use disorders (SUD) from 88 community residential facilities. Self-report data were collected at baseline and 1- and 4-year follow-ups, and included measures of SUD severity, social resources, coping, and 12-step self-help group attendance. We tested the hypothesis that 12-step self-help group attendance is more effective for non-abstinent patients than for abstinent patients. We also controlled for self-selection effects by using propensity score analyses and we cross-validated our results in a second sample of patients (N=2173).


RESULTS
Sample 1. Patients abstinent at 1-year post-treatment who attended 12-step self-help group meetings were no more likely to be abstinent at 4 years than abstinent patients who did not attend. However, for patients not abstinent at 1 year, a significant improvement in abstinence rates at 4 years emerged for those who attended 12-step self-help groups compared to those who did not (42% vs. 28.9%). A similar pattern emerged for SUD problems. There were no benefits from 12-step self-help group attendance for patients abstinent at 1 year, but non-abstinent patients who attended 12-step self-help groups had significantly fewer problems at 4 years. Sample 2. The cross-validation yielded consistent results as 12-step self-help group attendance led to higher abstinence rates and fewer SUD problems only among patients non-abstinent at interim assessment.


CONCLUSIONS
Individual's abstinence status should be considered when evaluating the potential influence of 12-step self-help group attendance on SUD outcomes. In addition, increased clinical resources should focus on assessing patients after discharge and on improving linkage of non-abstinent patients to self-help groups.
McKellar
John D
JD
Center for Health Care Evaluation, Veterans Affairs Palo Alto Health Care System, Menlo Park, CA 94025, United States. John.McKellar@va.gov
Harris
Alexander H
AH
Moos
Rudolf H
RH
D000223:Adaptation, Psychological; D000328:Adult; D000436:Alcoholics Anonymous; D000437:Alcoholism / Q000523:psychology / Q000534:rehabilitation; D004651:Employment; D005006:Ethnicity; D005190:Family; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D011569:Psychiatric Status Rating Scales; D012044:Regression Analysis; D012657:Self-Help Groups; D012944:Social Support; D019966:Substance-Related Disorders / Q000523:psychology / Q000534:rehabilitation*; D016896:Treatment Outcome