Alcohol dependence constitutes a major public health problem. Alcoholics Anonymous (AA) is one way many alcoholics achieve recovery, yet little research has been conducted to determine how it works. The overall goal of this research program is to better understand the way AA provides help to new members.
The specific aim of the proposed project is to obtain preliminary data about sponsorship in AA, and to determine whether a larger, more complete study is indicated. Data will be collected on the process of sponsorship in AA, and how that process might lead to improved chances for recovery. The questions this research will address are: (a) What are the frequency, length of contact, and location of contacts between sponsors and newcomers? (b) What kinds of helping activities do sponsors engage in with newcomers, and what is their relative frequency? (c) What is the content or focus of interactions between sponsors and newcomers? (d) What are the differences in the above variables when comparing newcomers in early recovery (0-60 days abstinence) with newcomers with some stable abstinence (12-14 months), (e) how and when do these variables change over the first year of abstinence? and (f) What variables are associated with improved outcome? After field testing and refining of instruments, 70 sponsor-newcomer pairs will be interviewed. Thirty-five pairs will include newcomers with 0-60 days abstinence, and 35 will have newcomers with 12-14 months abstinence. The 25 early recovery pairs will be followed monthly for as long as a year to qualitatively observe the changes in sponsorship over time. This study will yield important data about how AA sponsorship works, and how it changes as newcomers achieve abstinence. The data from this project will form the basis for an application to fund a more complete future study.
