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Alcohol and Alcoholism Advance Access originally published online on January 25, 2007
Alcohol and Alcoholism 2007 42(2):108-112; doi:10.1093/alcalc/agl122
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© The Author 2007. Published by Oxford University Press on behalf of the Medical Council on Alcohol. All rights reserved

THE IMPACT OF SELF-HELP GROUP ATTENDANCE ON RELAPSE RATES AFTER ALCOHOL DETOXIFICATION IN A CONTROLLED STUDY

S. E. MUELLER1,*, S. PETITJEAN1, J. BOENING2 and G. A. WIESBECK1

1 Psychiatric University Clinics, Wilhelm Klein-Strasse 27, CH-4025 Basel, Switzerland
2 Addiction Research Group, Department of Psychiatry, University of Wuerzburg, Fuechsleinstr. 15, D-97080 Wuerzburg, Germany

* Author to whom correspondence should be addressed at: Psychiatric University Clinics, University of Basel, Wilhelm Klein-Strasse 27, CH-4025 Basel, Switzerland. Tel: +41 61 325 53 33; Fax: +41 61 325 55 83; E-mail: sandra.mueller{at}upkbs.ch

Received 18 June 2006; first review notified 16 September 2006; accepted 14 December 2006


  Abstract

Aims: Self-help groups such as Alcoholics Anonymous (AA) are widely recommended for aftercare of alcohol-dependent persons, even though scientific knowledge of its effectiveness is inconsistent. The aim of the present analysis was to elucidate whether persons attending AA groups regularly after detoxification have lower relapse rates within 1 year, compared to persons without self-help group attendance. Methods: Data for the present analysis were derived from the placebo-group of a multi-centre study in Germany (Wiesbeck et al., 2001). Patients were free to choose either self-help group attendance (N = 50) or no support (N = 28). Results: After 1-month of follow-up, there was a lower relapse rate in patients attending a self-help group as compared to the control group, a difference, however, that leveled off during the following months. Moreover, relapse rates did not differ significantly at any point of time between both groups. Levels of social functioning improved in both groups over 1 year. Conclusions: The present study was unable to show an advantage of self-help group attendance in reducing relapses compared to the control group.


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