Adolescents’ participation in Alcoholics Anonymous and Narcotics Anonymous

Adolescents’ participation in Alcoholics Anonymous and Narcotics Anonymous: review, implications and future directions.

Youth treatment programs frequently employ 12-Step concepts and encourage participation in Alcoholics Anonymous (AA) and Narcotics Anonymous (NA).

Since AA/NA groups are easily accessible at no charge and provide flexible support at times of high relapse risk they hold promise as a treatment adjunct in an increasingly cost-constricting economic climate.

Yet, due to concerns related to adolescents’ developmental status, skepticism exists regarding the utility of AA/NA for youth.

This review evaluates the empirical evidence in this regard, identifies and discusses knowledge gaps, and recommends areas for future research.

Findings suggest youth may benefit from AA/NA participation following treatment, but conclusions are limited by four important factors:

a small number of studies;
no studies with outpatients;
existing evidence is solely observational; and
only partial measurement of the 12-Step construct.

While surveys of adolescent SUD treatment programs indicate widespread clinical interest and application of adult-derived 12-Step approaches this level of enthusiasm has not been reflected in the research community.

Qualitative research is needed to improve our understanding of youth-specific AA/NA barriers, and efficacy, comparative effectiveness, and process studies are still needed to inform clinical practice guidelines for youth providers.

Research; Kelly JF, Myers MG. Adolescents’ participation in Alcoholics Anonymous and Narcotics Anonymous: review, implications and future directions. J Psychoactive Drugs. 2007 Sep;39(3):259-69.