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Rational recovery: alternative to AA for addiction?
M Galanter1, S Egelko, H Edwards
1Department of Psychiatry, New York University School of Medicine, New York 10016.
The American Journal of Drug and Alcohol Abuse
|January 1, 1993
Summary
Rational Recovery (RR), a cognitive self-help program, shows promise for substance abuse treatment. Many members achieve abstinence, particularly with longer engagement and adherence to its unique therapeutic exercises.
Area of Science:
- Psychology
- Addiction Studies
- Behavioral Science
Background:
- Rational Recovery (RR) offers a cognitive alternative to traditional substance abuse programs like Alcoholics Anonyomous.
- Understanding RR's structure and effectiveness is crucial for addiction treatment research.
Purpose of the Study:
- To investigate the characteristics of Rational Recovery participants.
- To evaluate the impact of RR on substance abuse abstinence rates.
- To compare RR's cognitive approach with other addiction recovery models.
Main Methods:
- A national sample of 433 individuals in 63 RR groups participated.
- Data collected via self-report questionnaires administered at RR meetings.
- Analysis focused on abstinence rates based on membership duration and engagement levels.
Main Results:
- 73% abstinence reported by members engaged for 3+ months, attending 4.1 meetings/month and completing home exercises.
- 58% of members with 6+ months of engagement reported sustained abstinence.
- Abstinence rates for individuals with and without a history of cocaine use were comparable.
Conclusions:
- Rational Recovery effectively engages substance abusers and promotes abstinence in a significant portion of its members.
- RR's cognitive-based approach offers a distinct alternative to spiritually-oriented programs.
- Further research is recommended to fully assess RR's utility in comprehensive substance abuse treatment.