So Alcoholics Anonymous Is “Proven” to Work After All? Not So Fast by Stanton Peele

https://filtAlcoholics Anonymous and its 12 Steps, with their prescription of abstinence, have dominated America’Alcoholics Anonymous and its 12 Steps, with their prescription of abstinence, have dominated America’s response to addiction for a half-century or more. Yet despite the urges of advocates and the lucraAlcoholics Anonymous and its 12 Steps, with their prescription of abstinence, have dominated America’s response to addiction for a half-century or more. Yet despite the urges of advocates and the lucrative, 12-step-based rehab industry to enshrine this status, reliable studies demonstrating AA’s effectiveness were not forthcoming.

In 2006, a review of controlled AA research (eight studies, with 3,417 subjects) by the prestigious Cochrane group found that “No experimental studies unequivocally demonstrated the effectiveness of AA or [12-step facilitation] approaches for reducing alcohol dependence or problems” (my emphasis).

Now, Cochrane has revisited this question with a new review (27 studies, 10,565 subjects). It announced its findings on March 11:

The authors found high certainty evidence that clinically delivered and manualized [12-step facilitation, or TSF] programs designed to increase AA participation can lead to higher rates of continuous abstinence over months and years, when compared to other active treatment approaches such as cognitive behavioural therapy. The evidence suggests that 42% of participants participating in AA would remain completely abstinent one year later, compared to 35% of participants receiving other treatments including CBT. (My emphasis.)tive, 12-step-based rehab industry to enshrine this status, reliable studies demonstrating AA’s effectiveness were not forthcoming.

In 2006, a review of controlled AA research (eight studies, with 3,417 subjects) by the prestigious Cochrane group found that “No experimental studies unequivocally demonstrated the effectiveness of AA or [12-step facilitation] approaches for reducing alcohol dependence or problems” (my emphasis).

Now, Cochrane has revisited this question with a new review (27 studies, 10,565 subjects). It announced its findings on March 11:

The authors found high certainty evidence that clinically delivered and manualized [12-step facilitation, or TSF] programs designed to increase AA participation can lead to higher rates of continuous abstinence over months and years, when compared to other active treatment approaches such as cognitive behavioural therapy. The evidence suggests that 42% of participants participating in AA would remain completely abstinent one year later, compared to 35% of participants receiving other treatments including CBT. (My emphasis.)s response to addiction for a half-century or more. Yet despite the urges of advocates and the lucrative, 12-step-based rehab industry to enshrine this status, reliable studies demonstrating AA’s effectiveness were not forthcoming.
Alcoholics Anonymous and its 12 Steps, with their prescription of abstinence, have dominated America’s response to addiction for a half-century or more. Yet despite the urges of advocates and the lucrative, 12-step-based rehab industry to enshrine this status, reliable studies demonstrating AA’s effectiveness were not forthcoming.

In 2006, a review of controlled AA research (eight studies, with 3,417 subjects) by the prestigious Cochrane group found that “No experimental studies unequivocally demonstrated the effectiveness of AA or [12-step facilitation] approaches for reducing alcohol dependence or problems” (my emphasis).

Now, Cochrane has revisited this question with a new review (27 studies, 10,565 subjects). It announced its findings on March 11:

The authors found high certainty evidence that clinically delivered and manualized [12-step facilitation, or TSF] programs designed to increase AA participation can lead to higher rates of continuous abstinence over months and years, when compared to other active treatment approaches such as cognitive behavioural therapy. The evidence suggests that 42% of participants participating in AA would remain completely abstinent one year later, compared to 35% of participants receiving other treatments including CBT. (My emphasis.)
In 2006, a review of controlled AA research (eight studies, with 3,417 subjects) by the prestigious Cochrane group found that “No experimental studies unequivocally demonstrated the effectiveness of AA or [12-step facilitation] approaches for reducing alcohol dependence or problems” (my emphasis).

Now, Cochrane has revisited this question with a new review (27 studies, 10,565 subjects). It announced its findings on March 11:

The authors found high certainty evidence that clinically delivered and manualized [12-step facilitation, or TSF] programs designed to increase AA participation can lead to higher rates of continuous abstinence over months and years, when compared to other active treatment approaches such as cognitive behavioural therapy. The evidence suggests that 42% of participants participating in AA would remain completely abstinent one year later, compared to 35% of participants receiving other treatments including CBT. (My emphasis.)ermag.org/alcoholics-anonymous-cochrane/https://filtermag.org/alcoholics-anonymous-cochrane/

Full story here : https://filtermag.org/alcoholics-anonymous-cochrane/