 | The 131st Annual Meeting (November 15-19, 2003) of APHA |
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| The 131st Annual Meeting (November 15-19, 2003) of APHA |
J. Scott Tonigan, PhD, Center on Alcoholism, Substance Abuse, and Addictions, The University of New Mexico, 2650 Yale SE, Albuquerque, NM 87106, 505-925-2384, jtonigan@unm.edu
AA benefits many problem drinkers, and a number of effective strategies have been developed to facilitate AA attendance after treatment. It is also apparent that many individuals encouraged to attend AA do so for only a short time. Using a cross-lagged longitudinal design, this presentation investigated the relationship between AA meeting attendance and practicing of prescribed AA-related behaviors over a 10-year period among Project MATCH clients. Findings indicated that initial practicing of AA-related behaviors did not predict subsequent AA meeting attendance or the practicing of prescribed AA behaviors, but that initial AA meeting attendance predicted 3-year AA attendance and AA-related behaviors. This situation was reversed between 3 and 10-year follow-up, however. Here, AA-related behaviors (at 3-years) were significantly and positively predictive of AA attendance and AA-related behaviors at 10 years. Findings underscore the importance of stressing frequent AA attendance during and immediately after treatment when sustained AA affiliation is desired. Findings also suggest, however, that frequent AA attendance is a necessary but not sufficient condition to predict long-term AA affiliation. The adoption and internalization of AA-related beliefs and practices is also required, and it appears that this process may become manifest a few years after outpatient treatment. Recommendations are offered regarding optimal frequency of AA meeting attendance during treatment to predict sustained AA participation.
Learning Objectives:
Keywords: Substance Abuse, Alcohol Use