title: How Do Females With PTSD and Substance Abuse View 12-Step Groups? An Empirical Study of Attitudes and Attendance Patterns.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  Self-help groups are beneficial for many people with addiction, predominantly through 12-step models. Yet obstacles to attendance also occur.
  
  
  OBJECTIVE
  We explored attendance patterns and attitudes toward self-help groups by 165 outpatient females with co-occurring posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD) and substance use disorder (SUD), the first study of its kind.
  
  
  METHODS
  Cross-sectional self-report data compared adults versus adolescents, and those currently attending self-help versus not attending. We also explored attendance in relation to perceptions of the PTSD/SUD relationship and symptom severity.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Adults reported higher attendance at self-help than adolescents, both lifetime and currently. Among current attendees, adults also attended more weekly groups than adolescents. Yet only a minority of both age cohorts attended any self-help in the past week. Adults perceived a stronger relationship between PTSD and SUD than adolescents, but both age groups gave low ratings to the fact that self-help groups do not address PTSD. That item also had low ratings by both those currently attending and not attending self-help. Analysis of those not currently attending identified additional negative attitudes toward self-help (spirituality, addiction as a life-long illness, sayings, and the fellowship). Symptom severity was not associated with attendance, but may reflect a floor effect. Finally, a surprising finding was that all-female groups were not preferred by any subsample. Conclusions/Importance. Creative solutions are needed to address obstacles to self-help among this population. Addressing trauma and PTSD, not just SUD, was valued by females we surveyed, and may be more helpful than all-female groups per se.
authors.affiliation: a 1 Boston University School of Medicine , Boston , Massachusetts , USA.
authors.forename: Lisa M
authors.initials: LM
authors.lastname: Najavits
authors.affiliation: b 2 Tactus Addiction Treatment , Deventer , Netherlands.
authors.forename: Hein
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: de Haan
authors.affiliation: b 2 Tactus Addiction Treatment , Deventer , Netherlands.
authors.forename: Tim
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Kok
mesh_terms: D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D017677:Age Distribution; D003430:Cross-Sectional Studies; D016208:Databases, Factual; D017831:Diagnosis, Dual (Psychiatry); D005260:Female; D007722:Health Knowledge, Attitudes, Practice; D006801:Humans; D008404:Massachusetts; D008875:Middle Aged; D011569:Psychiatric Status Rating Scales; D012657:Self-Help Groups / Q000706:statistics & numerical data; D013313:Stress Disorders, Post-Traumatic / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000523:psychology*; D016320:Substance Abuse Treatment Centers; D019966:Substance-Related Disorders / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000523:psychology* / Q000628:therapy; D055815:Young Adult
keywords: 12-step groups; PTSD; attitudes; females; self-help; substance abuse