The relationship of pre-treatment Alcoholics Anonymous affiliation with problem severity, social resources and treatment history

Little research has examined the relationship of substance abuse patients' prior Alcoholics Anonymous (AA) affiliation to important treatment-related variables. This study of 927 individuals seeking treatment in public, health maintenance organization (HMO) and private-for-profit medical programs, found that 82.8% of patients presented at treatment with a history of AA affiliation. Degree of prior AA affiliation was significantly associated with more extensive prior utilization of formal and informal helping resources, current seeking of treatment in the public sector, having low income, being divorced/separated and having more severe alcohol, employment/support and psychiatric problems. Implications for service delivery and future research are discussed. (C) 1998 Elsevier Science Ireland Ltd.