APC: 12-step facilitation and self-help groups for addiction

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This document provides a summary of a presentation on the effectiveness of 12-step facilitation and self-help groups for addiction. The document begins by highlighting that addiction self-help organizations are an international phenomenon, with various groups existing in different countries. The Alcoholics Anonymous (AA) group is discussed as the prototypic self-help organization, which was founded in the US in 1935 and is focused on helping alcoholics become sober.<br /><br />The document presents several studies that support the effectiveness of 12-step group involvement for addiction treatment. One study conducted with Veterans Affairs outpatients found that intensive 12-step group referral resulted in higher rates of 12-step involvement and greater improvement in substance use disorder outcomes compared to standard referral. Another study found that network support approaches produced higher AA involvement and more abstaining days.<br /><br />The document also discusses the integration of federally funded 12-step facilitation trials, which found that AA was effective in five out of six trials. Additionally, research conducted in the Veterans Health Administration found that self-help oriented treatment based on 12-step principles resulted in higher self-help group participation at one-year follow-up compared to cognitive-behavioral treatment.<br /><br />A Cochrane systematic review on AA and Twelve-Step Facilitation (TSF) treatment found that AA and TSF interventions were at least as effective as other well-established treatments for alcohol-related outcomes and produced substantial healthcare cost savings. Mediational analyses identified various factors that mediate the benefits of 12-step groups, including increased self-efficacy, strengthened commitment to abstinence, and greater social support.<br /><br />The document concludes by noting that 12-step group participation significantly reduces substance use and healthcare costs, and that more research is needed on non-12 step alternatives. The authors suggest that investment in mutual-help supportive infrastructure may benefit public health and reduce healthcare costs.

Keywords

addiction

12-step facilitation

self-help groups

Alcoholics Anonymous

substance use disorder

network support approaches

federally funded trials

cognitive-behavioral treatment

Twelve-Step Facilitation

healthcare cost savings