Benefits of Alcoholics Anonymous

Benefits of Alcoholics Anonymous attendance: Replication of findings between clinical research sites in Project MATCH.

We compared findings on the benefits associated with 12-Step group Alcoholics Anonymous (AA) attendance across eleven clinical sites in Project MATCH. 1,726 clients were recruited for the study.

Results found that the largest benefit associated with AA attendance was increased abstinence, followed by reductions in alcohol-related consequences.

The magnitude of these benefits did not differ between sites.

A positive association was also found between AA attendance and increased purpose in life, but the size of this relationship was very small and was statistically significant only after controlling for measurement error.

Several explanations are offered to reconcile findings in this study with earlier work concluding that: (1) treatment setting moderated subsequent AA benefit, and (2) AA attendance was associated with psychosocial improvement.

Research; Tonigan , J. Scott. (2001) Benefits of Alcoholics Anonymous attendance: Replication of findings between clinical research sites in Project MATCH. Alcoholism Treatment Quarterly. Vol 19(1), 2001, 67-77.