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Alcoholics Anonymous: Membership Characteristics and Effectiveness as Treatment

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Recent Developments in Alcoholism

Part of the book series: Recent Developments in Alcoholism ((RDIA,volume 7))

Abstract

Reports published since 1976 were reviewed with respect to the characteristics of alcohol-dependent individuals who affiliate with Alcoholics Anonymous (AA). No “AA personality” was identified inasmuch as systematic differences have not been observed between affiliates and nonaffiliates. Evaluation studies were reviewed with regard to data on AA’s effectiveness as treatment, leading to several observations. When “alcoholics” participate in AA in addition to professional treatment, their outcome on drinking and other indices is no worse, and may be better, than that of patients who do not involve themselves in AA. AA involvement tends to be associated with relatively high abstinence rates but with only fairly typical total improvement rates. The effectiveness of AA as compared to other treatments for “alcoholism” has yet to be demonstrated. Reliable guidelines have not been established for predicting who among AA members will be successful. An alcohol-involved person’s chances of participating in AA are related to the type of drinking outcome achieved. Caution was raised against rigidly referring every alcohol-troubled person to AA.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Psychology Service, Veterans Administration Medical Center, Denver, Colorado, 80220, USA

    Chad D. Emrick

  2. Department of Psychiatry, University of Colorado Health Sciences Center, Denver, Colorado, 80262, USA

    Chad D. Emrick

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  1. Chad D. Emrick
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Editors and Affiliations

  1. New York University School of Medicine, New York, New York, USA

    Marc Galanter

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Emrick, C.D. (1989). Alcoholics Anonymous: Membership Characteristics and Effectiveness as Treatment. In: Galanter, M. (eds) Recent Developments in Alcoholism. Recent Developments in Alcoholism, vol 7. Springer, Boston, MA. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-1-4899-1678-5_2

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/978-1-4899-1678-5_2

  • Publisher Name: Springer, Boston, MA

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