Alcoholics Anonymous Sponsorship: Characteristics of Sponsored and Sponsoring Members

Abstract

Alcoholics Anonymous (AA) sponsorship is associated with better recovery outcomes, but little is known about the types of people who assume sponsorship roles. An anonymous online survey of AA members (N = 264) recorded demographic data, substance use experience, and status as a sponsor and/or sponsee. Compared to the unsponsored, the sponsored were younger and more likely childless and religious/spiritual. Compared to those who were not sponsors, sponsors were older and more likely married, parents, and religious/spiritual. None of the substance use experience variables was associated with sponsee or sponsor status.

KEYWORDS:

• Alcoholics Anonymous
• alcoholism
• treatment
• mutual-help
• group
• social support

Notes

This material is based upon work supported by the Department of Veterans Affairs, Veterans Health Administration, Office of Research and Development, Health Services Research and Development, and the VA Midwest Rural Health Resource Center. Dr. Young is supported by a postdoctoral fellowship from the Department of Veterans Affairs. Kelly Richardson, PhD, consulted on the statistical analysis. The views expressed in this article are those of the author and do not necessarily represent the views of the Department of Veterans Affairs or the United States government. The author has no conflicts of interest. This research received no specific grant from any funding agency in the public, commercial, or not-for-profit sectors.

^aRespondents permitted to select more than one.

^bNR = number of nonresponses.

^cSource: Alcoholics Anonymous (2008). The variation in rounding percentages reflects the AA Membership Survey practice of rounding in some categories but not in others.

^dIndependent samples: Student's t-test or Pearson's chi-square.

^aNR = number of nonresponses.

^bTest statistic modified to account for unequal variances indicated by Levene's test (p < 0.05).

^cIndependent samples: Student's t-test or Pearson's chi-square (with continuity correction for 2 × 2 tables).

^aNR = number of nonresponses.

^bTest statistic modified to account for unequal variances indicated by Levene's test (p < 0.05).

^cIndependent samples: Student's t-test or Pearson's chi-square (with continuity correction for 2 × 2 tables).