Factors associated with frequency of 12-step attendance by drug abuse clients

Comparison was made of treatment clients attending Narcotics Anonymous and/ or Alcoholics Anonymous meetings less than weekly (n = 41) with treatment c lients attending meetings at least three times a week (n = 30). The frequen t attenders (attending an average of 30.6 meetings monthly) differed from n on- and infrequent attenders (attending an average of 0.4 meetings monthly) in terms of histories of greater lifetime drug use, more arrests and treat ment experiences, and an earlier age of first use of alcohol. Although the frequent attender was also older, age was not found to influence the differ ences found between groups. Measures of religiosity, use of community servi ces, and support from others for recovery and psychological functioning, ot her than ratings of the helpfulness of 12-Step, were not differentiated amo ng groups. The findings suggest that 12-Step groups are more likely to be s elected by clients with more severe histories of drug use and criminal acti vity, i.e., those most in need of the support to behavior change those grou ps provide. The role of treatment programs in facilitating the use of 12-St ep groups is discussed.