Feeling Supported in Addiction Recovery: Comparing Face-to-Face and Videoconferencing 12-Step Meetings

Abstract

We surveyed ninety-seven 12-step community members from IntheRooms.com – a recovery social networking site – to investigate the relationship between 12-step meeting format (face-to-face or videoconferencing) and members’ perceptions of meeting effectiveness, social support quality, recovery network quality, and meeting accessibility. Findings suggest 12-step members perceive more challenges than advantages to be associated with VC 12-step meetings. Moreover, FtF 12-step meetings are associated with significantly higher perceptions of (a) meeting effectiveness, (b) support quality, and (c) recovery network quality, yet not perceived as (d) more accessible than VC meetings. Our findings suggest that VC is a valuable supplemental tool for 12-step group communication, but it should not replace FtF meetings—which are more productive in facilitating the achievement of 12-step groups’ health goals.

Keywords:

• 12-Step
• Online Social Support
• Self-Help Groups
• Support Networks
• Videoconference Meetings

Disclosure Statement

No potential conflict of interest was reported by the authors.