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Published on: April 28, 2022
Maintenance factors of recovery from alcohol dependence in treated and untreated individuals
G Bischof1, H J Rumpf, U Hapke
1Ernst-Moritz-Arndt University Greifswald, Department of Epidemiology and Social Medicine, Germany. bischof.g@psychiatry.mu-Luebeck.de
Background:
Research on natural recovery from alcohol dependence has focused mainly on triggering mechanisms of the remission process. Only a few studies have considered maintenance factors of natural recovery.
Methods:
In the present study, 93 natural remitters and 42 self-help group participants were compared. Both groups remitted from alcohol dependence according to DSM-IV criteria. Several alcohol-related variables and maintenance factors of the remission process were assessed in a personal interview by using standardized questionnaires.
Results:
Logistic regression analysis that focused on maintenance factors showed that, independent from direct self-help group context, self-help group attendees informed more individuals about their former alcohol problems and sought social support more often as a coping strategy to deal with craving. No further group differences could be identified.
Conclusions:
Self-help group participants revealed a higher social engagement to maintain their recovery. Besides this major difference, data support the assumption that more commonalities than differences exist within successful recoveries from alcohol dependence, independent of help-seeking status.
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