AN OVERVIEW OF THE EFFICACY OF THE 12-STEP GROUP THERAPY FOR SUBSTANCE ABUSE TREATMENT.

This study was designed to determine if 12-Steps groups efficacy for substance abuse treatment significantly improve abstinence rates of heroin addicts in the short run and long run (1-year and 5-year period); and if abstinence rates are found to be lower for heroin addicts that have attended 12-Step groups at the 1-year mark, and if similar results would be expected at the 5-year mark. Secondary data from the Inter-University Consortium of Political and Social Research (ICPSR) was extracted and analyzed for the aforementioned hypothesis. Using SSPS to test the research hypothesis for the 1-Year Follow Up, the chi-square test shows a p-value below of .10, and the analysis determined that there was significant evidence to support the hypothesis that cases in a 12-Steps or self-help program have a higher success than cases not in a program for the 1-year follow up. For 5-Year Follow Up, the cases that attended a 12-Step program or a self-help program and about 27% went on to use heroin during the last 12 months compared to 34% cases that did not go to a program.