The impact of self-help group attendance on relapse rates after alcohol detoxification in a controlled study

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.

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).

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.

The present study was unable to show an advantage of self-help group attendance in reducing relapses compared to the control group.