Impressions of Alcoholics Anonymous (AA) Group Cohesion: A Case for a Nonspecific Factor Predicting Later AA Attendance

Abstract

Social support for abstinence in Alcoholics Anonymous (AA) has been reported to be a consistent factor accounting for AA benefit. However, the nonspecific or unintended effects of such support remain poorly understood and rarely investigated. This prospective study investigated how one nonspecific factor—perceived AA group cohesiveness—predicted increased practice of AA-related behaviors. Findings indicated that impressions of AA group cohesion predicted increased AA attendance, the practice of prescribed AA activities, and self-reported AA usefulness. It appears that a sense of belongingness predicts subsequent engagement in the AA social network that, in turn, is predictive of increased abstinence.

KEYWORDS:

• Alcoholics Anonymous
• group cohesion
• nonspecific factors
• self-help
• mutual-help

Notes

^aEffect size measures are kappa for categorical variables and Hedges d (adjusted for small sample size) for continuous variables.

^b p values have not been corrected for Type I error.

^cExact p value = 0.054.