Mutual help groups, perceived status benefits, and well-being: A test withadult children of alcoholics with personal substance abuse problems

A field experiment was conducted to examine the potential effects of mutual help group participation on perceived status benefits, depression, and sub stance use among adult children of alcoholics (ACOAs) with personal substan ce abuse problems. Participants were randomly assigned to attend either ACO A-specific mutual help group meetings or substance abuse education classes during the initial month that they were enrolled in a residential treatment program for low-income substance abusers. Analyses were based on assessmen ts made at baseline, a I-month posttest, and a 6-month followup. Results in dicated that participation in the mutual help group promoted perceived stat us benefits, which in turn led to reductions in depression and substance us e. These findings have clear implications for consumers of ACOA groups and can inform research on the social psychological underpinnings of different types of mutual help groups.