The Effects of Twelve-Step Participation on Social Support: A Longitudinal Investigation within a Recovery Home Sample

Abstract

Mutual-aid/12-step involvement has been found to relate to numerous positive facets of social support. However, this present investigation is the first known study to longitudinally assess the influence of 12-step involvement on social support within a U.S. Oxford House recovery home sample (N = 897). As predicted, AA/NA attendance predicted social networks containing more general social support over a 1 year period, and it is recommended that individuals in recovery lacking positive social support might turn to 12-step groups to develop these necessary forms of support. However, 12-step participation failed to predict network drinking behaviors or support for drinking. Although counterintuitive, it is possible that 12-step groups impact general support more than recovery-specific types of support. It is true that more of AA’s 12 steps deal with mending relationships than alcohol use. *Portions of this article were taken from the doctoral dissertation of the first author. The authors appreciate the financial support from the National Institute on Drug Abuse (grant number DA13231).