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An empirical study on the construct of "God" in the Twelve Step process
Marc Galanter1, William L White2, Penelope P Ziegler3
1Department of Psychiatry, New York University School of Medicine , New York, NY, USA.
The American Journal of Drug and Alcohol Abuse
|September 2, 2020
Summary
Narcotics Anonymous members
Area of Science:
- Addiction research
- Psychology of religion
- Spiritual recovery
Background:
- The concept of God in 12-step programs like Narcotics Anonymous (NA) and Alcoholics Anonymous (AA) lacks empirical study.
- Understanding members' experiences with the term "God" can inform the 12-step recovery process.
Purpose of the Study:
- To explore how NA members interpret the 12-step concept "God as we understood Him."
- To investigate the link between members' God concepts and their craving and depressive symptoms.
Main Methods:
- A survey was administered to 450 NA members (59% male) assessing their relationship with "God."
- Self-report measures were used for craving and depressive symptoms.
- Statistical analysis examined relationships between variables and compared them to the general population.
Main Results:
- 98% of NA participants believe in God or a higher power (vs. 89% in the general population).
- A significant portion of NA members reported believing God influences events (67%) and experiencing divine communication (78% internally, 37% audibly).
- Acceptance of 12-step God concepts inversely predicted craving (7.5%) and depression (13.5%).
Conclusions:
- NA members' understanding of God varies widely.
- Members' conceptions of God are significant predictors of their depressive symptoms and craving intensity.
- Findings support further research into NA/AA recovery mechanisms and clinical applications.
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