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Related Experiment Videos

Alcoholics Anonymous and other 12-step programmes for alcohol dependence.

M Ferri1, L Amato, M Davoli

  • 1Agency of Public Health, Project Unit: EBM and Models of Health Assistance, Via di Santa Costanza 53, Rome, Italy 00198. ferri@asplazio.it

The Cochrane Database of Systematic Reviews
|July 21, 2006
PubMed
Summary

This review found no conclusive evidence that Alcoholics Anonymous (AA) or Twelve Step Facilitation (TSF) programs effectively reduce alcohol dependence. More rigorous efficacy studies are needed to determine their true impact on recovery.

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Area of Science:

  • Addiction Medicine
  • Psychosocial Interventions
  • Public Health

Background:

  • Alcoholics Anonymous (AA) and Twelve Step Facilitation (TSF) are widely used 12-step approaches for alcohol dependence.
  • These programs offer support and promote abstinence through a structured 12-step model.

Purpose of the Study:

  • To evaluate the effectiveness of AA and TSF programs.
  • To compare their efficacy against other psychosocial interventions for alcohol dependence.
  • To assess impact on alcohol intake, abstinence rates, quality of life, and associated health problems.

Main Methods:

  • Systematic review of randomized controlled trials.
  • Searched multiple databases including Cochrane, MEDLINE, EMBASE, CINAHL, and PsychINFO.
  • Included studies involved adults with alcohol dependence, comparing AA/TSF with no treatment or other interventions.

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Main Results:

  • Eight trials with 3417 participants were analyzed.
  • Limited evidence suggests AA may improve treatment acceptance and retention, but this is not conclusive.
  • No significant differences were found in alcohol intake or drinking days compared to other treatments.
  • TSF did not show differential effects on addiction severity or drinking consequences.

Conclusions:

  • Current experimental studies do not unequivocally prove the effectiveness of AA or TSF for reducing alcohol dependence.
  • Further high-quality efficacy studies are required to establish the effectiveness of these 12-step approaches.