Fourth and Fifth Step Groups: A New and Growing Self-Help Organization for Underserved Latinos with Substance Use Disorders

Abstract

This article reports results from a preliminary ethnographic study of a new and largely unknown self-help organization for Latinos with substance use disorders, known as “4th and 5th Step Group” (in Spanish, Grupo de Cuarto y Quinto Paso, “CQ”). It describes the nature of CQ, aspects of group membership, and members' experiences of the organization. Although findings are preliminary, they provide critical information on a potentially important therapeutic resource. More rigorous research with larger and more diverse samples of Latinos participating in CQ is warranted.

KEYWORDS:

• Latinos
• substance use disorders
• self-help groups
• Grupo de Cuarto y Quinto Paso
• qualitative research
• Alcoholics Anonymous
• mutual-help

ACKNOWLEDGMENTS

The authors thank the CQ study participants for their contribution to the research. The authors would like to thank Michael Nedelman, Mónica Martínez Arroyo, Mario Gomez and Rafa Piña Mejia.

FUNDING

Dr. Humphreys was supported by a Research Career Scientist award from the Department of Veterans Affairs.