A REVIEW
OF RESEARCH
ON THE EFFECTIVENESS OF
SELF-HELP MUTUAL AID GROUPS
Elaina M. Kyrouz, Ph.D. and Keith Humphreys, Ph.D.
Veterans Affairs Health Care System and Stanford University School of
Medicine
Palo Alto, California
 For the past few
decades, researchers have been evaluating the effects of self-help/mutual aid groups on
participants. Most research studies of self-help groups have found important benefits of
participation. Unfortunately, few of these studies has gotten into the hands of self- help
group members, clearinghouse staff and others who wish to advocate for self-help/mutual
aid. The purpose of this chapter is to help correct this problem by summarizing the best
research on the effectiveness of self-help groups in a brief and clear fashion.
As we read over research on the effects of mutual help groups, we
noticed a common confusion. Many studies that claim to study self-help groups are actually
studies of psychotherapy or support groups solely led by a professional who does not share
the condition addressed by the group. We excluded such studies from this review. Instead,
we focused on groups where the participants all shared some problem or condition and ran
the group on their own. In a very few cases, we included studies where a group was co-led
by a professional and by a self-helper. Professional involvement in an advisory or
assistance capacity did not rule a study out of consideration, because in the real world,
many member-run self-help groups use professional advisors.
We have been selective about the methodological strengths of the
studies we chose to summarize. Many studies have demonstrated that if the current members
of any self-help group are surveyed at any given time, the members will respond positively
about the group and say that it helps them. Such studies (which are sometimes called
"single-group cross-sectional surveys") have some value, but they do not tell us
much about how members change over time, or whether members change more than non-members.
For this reason, we focus here primarily on studies that compared self-help participants
to non-participants, and/or gathered information on multiple occasions over time (that is,
"longitudinal" studies). Because we focus primarily on such studies, the
following is only a subset of research on self-help effectiveness. At the same time, it is
a methodological stronger subset of studies and thus should be more convincing to people
outside of the self-help movement.
In the brief summaries below, we have tried to use as little jargon
as possible. One exception to this rule is to use the scientific convention of using the
letter "N" to refer to the number of people participating in each research
project. For the sake of space and simplicity, we have generally omitted most details
about how the study was conducted and about secondary findings. Readers who wish to have
further details about any particular study can use the reference information provided to
locate the original sources.
If you know of an article on self-help group effectiveness that is
not on this page, or have comments, please contact Keith Humphreys.
Research Reviews
Mental Health | Weight Loss | Addiction-Related Recovery
Bereavement | Diabetes | Caregiver | Elderly
| Cancer | Chronic Illnesses
Mental Health Groups
- Edmunson, E. D., J. R. Bedell, et al. (1982). Integrating Skill Building and Peer
Support in Mental Health Treatment: The Early Intervention and Community Network
Development Projects. Community Mental Health and Behavioral Ecology. A. M. Jeger
and R. S. Slotnick. New York: Plenum Press: 127-139.
-
- After ten months of participation in a patient-led, professionally supervised social
network enhancement group, one-half as many former psychiatric inpatients (N=40) required
rehospitalization as did non-participants (N=40). Participants in the patient-led network
also had much shorter average hospital stays (7 days vs. 25 days). Furthermore, a higher
percentage of members than non-members could function with no contact with the mental
health system (53% vs. 23%).
-
- Galanter, M. (1988). Zealous Self-Help Groups as Adjuncts to Psychiatric Treatment: A
Study of Recovery, Inc. American Journal of Psychiatry 145(10): 1248-1253.
-
- This study surveyed 356 members of Recovery, Inc., a self-help group for nervous and
former mental patients, and compared them to a 195 community residents of similar age and
sex. Although about half of the Recovery Inc. members had been hospitalized before
joining, only 8% of group leaders and 7% of recent members had been hospitalized since
joining. Members used more outpatient non-psychiatric resources than did the community
sample.
-
- Kennedy, M. (1990). Psychiatric Hospitalizations of GROWers. Paper presented at the
Second Biennial Conference on Community Research and Action, East Lansing, Michigan.
-
- This study found that 31 members of GROW, a self-help organization for people with
chronic psychiatric problems, spent significantly fewer days in a psychiatric hospital
over a 32-month period than did 31 former psychiatric patients of similar age, race, sex,
marital status, number of previous hospitalizations and other factors. Members also
increased their sense of security and self-esteem, decreased their existential anxiety,
broadened their sense of spirituality, and increased their ability to accept problems
without blaming self or others for them.
-
- Kurtz, L. F. (1988). Mutual Aid for Affective Disorders: The Manic Depressive and
Depressive Association. American Journal of Orthopsychiatry 58(1): 152-155.
-
- This study found that 82% of 129 members of the Manic Depressive and Depressive
Association reported coping better with their illness since joining the self-help group.
The longer they were members and the more intensely they were involved with the group, the
more their coping had improved. Further, the percentage of members reporting being
admitted to a psychiatric hospital before joining the group was 82%, but the percentage
reporting hospital admission after joining was only 33%.
-
- Lieberman, M. A., Solow, N. et al. (1979). "The psychotherapeutic impact of
women's consciousness-raising groups." Archives of General Psychiatry 36:
161-168.
-
- 32 participants in women=s consciousness-raising groups were studied over a 6 month
period. Over the course of the study, participants reported decreased distress about their
target problem, increased self-esteem, and greater self-reliance. They also reported
greater identification with feminist values and politics.
-
- Raiff, N. R. (1984). "Some Health Related Outcomes of Self-Help
Participation." Chapter 14 in The Self-Help Revolution, edited by Alan Gartner
and Frank Riessman. New York: Human Sciences Press.
-
- Highly involved members of Recovery, Inc. (N=393, mostly female and married), a
self-help group for former mental patients, reported no more anxiety about their health
than did the general population. Members who had participated for two years or more had
the lowest levels of worry and the highest levels of satisfaction with their health.
Members also rated their life satisfaction levels as high or higher than did the general
public. Members who had participated less than two years, were still on medication, lived
below the poverty level, or lacked social-network involvements also appeared to benefit
from group participation, although to a lesser degree.
Weight Loss Groups
- Grimsmo, A., G. Helgesen, et al. (1981). Short-Term and Long-Term Effects of Lay
Groups on Weight Reduction. British Medical Journal 283: 1093-1095.
-
- These researchers conducted three studies of mostly female participants in 8-week
peer-led weight-loss groups in Norway (Grete Roede Slim-Clubs). The first study gathered
information from 33 women before, during, immediately after, and 1 year after
participation. Participants lost an average of 14.3 pounds while they were in the group,
and had kept almost all of it from coming back by the end of the year (they had an average
of 12.1 pounds less weight). The second study surveyed 1000 people who had completed the
group from 1 to 5 years previously, and found that average weight loss remained stable for
the first couple of years and was still 5 - 6% below starting weight after 5 years. The
third study surveyed more than 10,000 participants before and immediately after
participation, and found an average weight loss of 15.2 pounds.
-
- Peterson, G., D. B. Abrams, et al. (1985). Professional Versus Self-Help Weight Loss
at the Worksite: The Challenge of Making a Public Health Impact. Behavior Therapy
16: 213- 222.
-
- This study compared 30 employees assigned to a professionally-led weight-loss group with
33 employees assigned to a peer-led group. Both groups used "Learn to Be Lean"
workbooks based on behavioral therapy principles. Members of both groups lost weight in
equal amounts over a six-month period. The peer-led group was only half as costly as the
professional-led group.
Addiction-Related
Recovery Groups
- Alemi, F., Mosavel, M. Stephens, R. et al. (1996). "Electronic Self-Help and
Support Groups." Medical Care 34(Supplement): OS32-OS44.
-
- This was a study of 53 pregnant women who had a history of drug use. Participants, most
of whom were African-American, were assigned either to attend face-to-face biweekly
self-help group meetings (N=25) or to participate in self-help meetings operated over a
voice bulletin board accessed by phone (N=28). In the bulletin board group, participants
could leave voice mail messages for the entire group to hear. Significantly more women
participated in the voice mail group (96% of those assigned) than in the face-to-face
self-help groups (32% of those assigned). Bulletin board participants made significantly
fewer telephone calls and visits to health care clinics than did individuals assigned to
participate in the face-to-face group. Both groups has similar health status and drug use
at the end of the study.
-
- Christo, G. and S. Sutton (1994). Anxiety and Self-Esteem as a Function of Abstinence
Time Among Recovering Addicts Attending Narcotics Anonymous. British Journal of
Clinical Psychology 33: 198-200.
-
- Members of Narcotics Anonymous (NA) self-help groups (N=200) who stayed off drugs for
three years or more while they were members showed no more anxiety and no less self-esteem
than a comparison group of 60 never-addicted students. The longer people remained members
while staying off drugs, the less anxiety and the more self-esteem they experienced.
-
- Emrick, C. D., J. S. Tonigan, et al. (1993). Alcoholics Anonymous: What is Currently
Known? In Research on Alcoholics Anonymous: Opportunities and Alternatives, edited
by Barbara S. McCrady and William R. Miller. New Brunswick, NJ: Rutgers Center of Alcohol
Studies, pp. 41-75.
-
- Using meta-analysis of more than 50 studies, these authors report that AA members stayed
sober more if they (1) had an AA sponsor, (2) worked the "twelfth step" of the
program, (3) led a meeting, (4) increased their degree of participation over time, or (5)
sponsored other AA members. The study also found that professionally treated alcoholic
patients who attend AA during or after treatment are somewhat more likely to reduce
drinking than are those who do not attend AA. Membership in AA was also found to reduce
physical symptoms and to improve psychological adjustment.
-
- Hughes, J. M. (1977). Adolescent Children of Alcoholic Parents and the Relationship
of Alateen to These Children. Journal of Consulting and Clinical Psychology 45(5):
946-947.
-
- This study compared 25 Alateen members with 25 non-members who had an alcoholic parent
and 25 non-members with no alcoholic parent. Adolescents with an alcoholic parent who were
members of Alateen experienced significantly fewer negative moods, significantly more
positive moods and higher self-esteem than those who were not members. In fact, Alateen
members had self-esteem and mood scores similar to those of adolescents who did not have
an alcoholic parent.
-
- Humphreys, K., B. E. Mavis, and B. E. Stoffelmayr (1994). Are Twelve Step Programs
Appropriate for Disenfranchised Groups? Evidence from a Study of Posttreatment Mutual Help
Involvement. Prevention in Human Services 11(1): 165-179.
-
- One year after being admitted to a public substance abuse treatment agency, Caucasian-
and African-Americans were attending mutual help (Narcotics Anonymous, Alcoholics
Anonymous) groups at the same rate. African-American participants (N=253) in NA and AA
self-help groups showed significant improvements over twelve months in six problem areas
(employment, alcohol, drug, legal, psychological, and family). African-American self-help
group participants had significant more improvement in their medical, alcohol, and drug
problems than did African- American patients who did not participate in self-help groups
after treatment.
-
- Humphreys, K. and R. H. Moos (1996) Reduced Substance-Abuse-Related Health Care Costs
among Voluntary Participants in Alcoholics Anonymous. Psychiatric Services, 47,
709-713.
-
- Over a period of three years, alcoholics who initially chose to attend AA were compared
to those who sought help from a professional outpatient treatment provider (total N=201).
Those who chose to attend AA had 45% ($1826) lower average per-person treatment costs than
did those who chose outpatient treatment. Despite the lower costs, AA attenders also
experienced significant improvements in alcohol consumption, dependence symptoms, adverse
consequences, days intoxicated and depression. These outcomes did not differ significantly
from those of alcoholics who chose professional treatment. This was true both at one year
and at three years after the beginning of the study.
-
- Jason, L. A., C. L. Gruder, et al. (1987). Work Site Group Meetings and the
Effectiveness of a Televised Smoking Cessation Intervention. American Journal of
Community Psychology 15: 57-77.
-
- This study compared the effects of two smoking cessation programs at work. One hundred
and ninety-two workers viewed a television program and used a self-help manual, while 223
workers had these materials supplemented by 6 self-help group meetings. Group meetings
were led by recruited smoking employees who had been given a three-hour training session
in how to lead groups. The two programs were implemented at 43 companies. Initial rates of
quitting smoking were significantly higher for the 21 companies that used self-help groups
(average of 41% vs. 21% of participants). Group participants also smoked significantly
fewer cigarettes per day, with lower tar, nicotine and carbon monoxide content. Three
months later, an average of 22% of group participants had continued not to smoke, compared
to 12% in companies with no self-help groups.
-
- McAuliffe, W. E. (1990). A Randomized Controlled Trial of Recovery Training and Self-
Help for Opiod Addicts in New England and Hong Kong. Journal of Psychoactive Drugs
22(2): 197-209.
-
- This study randomly assigned volunteer graduates from substance abuse treatment programs
(N=168) to participate in RTSH (Recovery Training and Self-Help), an aftercare program
that combined professionally led recovery-training sessions with peer-led self-help
sessions. Participants in the recovery program significantly reduced their' likelihood of
relapse into opiod addiction compared to those who received only referrals to other
programs and crisis- intervention counseling. The RTSH program helped unemployed
participants find work and reduced criminal behavior.
-
- McKay, J. R., A. I. Alterman, et al. (1994). Treatment Goals, Continuity of Care, and
Outcome in a Day Hospital Substance Abuse Rehabilitation Program. American Journal of
Psychiatry 151(2): 254-259.
-
- Male substance abuse patients (N=180, 82% African American, mostly low income) who
participated in self-help groups (Alcoholics Anonymous, Narcotics Anonymous) after
treatment significantly reduced their frequency of alcohol and cocaine use by the 7-month
follow-up. Participants with high self-help attendance rates used alcohol and/or cocaine
less than half as much as did those with low self-help attendance. This was true
regardless of previous substance use and whether or not they completed a 4-week hospital
rehabilitation program. Hence, the effects of self-help groups were not simply due to
motivation or other characteristics of the individuals who participated.
-
- Pisani, V. D., J. Fawcett, et al. (1993). The Relative Contributions of Medication
Adherence and AA Meeting Attendance to Abstinent Outcome for Chronic Alcoholics. Journal
of Studies on Alcohol 54: 115-119.
-
- A group of 122 mostly male, White alcoholic patients admitted to short-term hospital
treatment programs participated in this study. In the 18 months following treatment, the
more days the patient attended Alcoholics Anonymous self-help meetings, the longer their
abstinence lasted. AA meeting attendance improved abstinence considerably more than did
adherence to prescribed medication.
-
- Tattersall, M. L. and C. Hallstrom (1992). Self-Help and Benzodiazepine Withdrawal. Journal
of Affective Disorders 24(3): 193-198.
-
- This study followed members (N=41) of TRANX (Tranquilizer Recovery and New Existence), a
British self-help organization that provided telephone counseling and support groups to
its members. Members were mostly White women who had been addicted to tranquilizers for an
average of 12 years. During a 9-month period, members of the group were more likely to
stop using tranquilizers than were individuals (N=76) who made an initial telephone
contact but did not become a member. Most members (73%) also reported that the symptoms
for which they had initially been prescribed tranquilizers improved, and 65% reported that
they were at least moderately satisfied with their withdrawal in terms of its effects on
their subjective quality of life.
-
- Walsh, D. C., R. W. Hingson, D. M. Merrigan, et al. (1991). A Randomized Trial of
Treatment Options for Alcohol-Abusing Workers. The New England Journal of Medicine
325(11): 775-782.
-
- Workers assigned to participate in Alcoholics Anonymous self-help groups reduced their
drinking problems over a two-year period. Furthermore, compulsory AA groups (n=83) did not
significantly differ from compulsory inpatient treatment (N=73) in their effects on
job-related outcomes of participants. Costs of inpatient treatment averaged 10 percent
less for AA participants than for hospital rehabilitation participants.
Bereavement Groups
- Caserta, M. S. and Lund, D. A. (1993). Intrapersonal Resources and the Effectiveness
of Self-Help Groups for Bereaved Older Adults. Gerontologist 33(5): 619-629.
-
- Widows and widowers over age 50 who participated in bereavement self-help groups (N=197)
experienced less depression and grief than nonparticipants (N=98) if their initial levels
of interpersonal and coping skills were low. Those with initially high interpersonal skill
levels also benefited from participation if they participated in the groups for longer
than eight weeks.
-
- Lieberman, M. A. and L. Videka-Sherman (1986). The Impact of Self-Help Groups on the
Mental Health of Widows and Widowers. American Journal of Orthopsychiatry 56(3):
435-449.
-
- This study followed 36 widowers and 466 widows, 376 of whom were members of the
bereavement self-help group THEOS. Over a period of one year, THEOS members who formed
social relationships with other group members outside group time experienced less
psychological distress (depression, anxiety, somatic symptoms) and improved more in
psychological functioning (well-being, mastery, self-esteem) than did non-members and
members who did not form such relationships.
-
- Marmar, C. R., M. J. Horowitz, et al. (1988). A Controlled Trial of Brief
Psychotherapy and Mutual-Help Group Treatment of Conjugal Bereavement. American Journal
of Psychiatry 145(2): 203-209.
-
- Bereaved women who sought treatment for grief after the death of their husband were
randomly assigned to either professional psychotherapy (N=31) or self-help groups (N=30).
Self-help groups worked just as well as the therapy. Participants and non-participants in
the self-help groups reduced stress-specific and general psychiatric symptoms such as
depression equally. They also experienced similar improvements in social adjustment and
work functioning.
-
- Vachon, M. L. S., W. A. L. Lyall, et al. (1980). A Controlled Study of Self-Help
Intervention for Widows. American Journal of Psychiatry 137(11): 1380-1384.
-
- Women (N=162) whose husbands had died within the past month were studied over a two-year
period. Half of these women were assigned to participate in a "widow-to-widow"
program. After 6 months in the program, participants were more likely than
non-participants to feel more healthy and to feel "better," and less likely to
anticipate a difficult adjustment to widowhood. After 12 months, participants were more
likely than non-participants to feel "much better," to have made new friends,
and to have begun new activities, and were less likely to feel constantly anxious or to
feel the need to hide their true emotions. Participation facilitated adjustment both
inside the person (in their relationship with themselves) and outside the person (in their
relationships with others).
-
- Videka-Sherman, L. and M. Lieberman (1985). The Effects of Self-Help and
Psychotherapy Intervention on Child Loss: The Limits of Recovery. American Journal of
Orthopsychiatry 55(1): 70-82.
-
- This study compared White, mostly female bereaved parents who had received psychotherapy
(N=120) to those who attended a Compassionate Friends (CF) bereavement self-help group
sporadically (N=81), actively (N=25) or actively with social involvement with group
members outside the group (N=97). Active participation in the self-help group accompanied
by involvement with group members outside the group increased bereaved parents' comfort in
discussing their bereavement with others and reduced parents' self-directed anger.
Psychotherapy did not have these effects. CF members reported that group involvement had
increased their self-confidence, sense of control, happiness, and freedom to express
feelings, and decreased their depression, anxiety, guilt, anger, and isolation.
Diabetes Groups
- Gilden, J. L., Hendryx, M. S., et al. (1992). Diabetes Support Groups Improve Health
Care of Older Diabetic Patients. Journal of the American Geriatrics Society 40:
147-150.
-
- Male diabetic patients were randomly divided into three groups. The first group (N=8)
received no intervention. The second group (N=13) received a six-session education program
on diabetes self-care. The third group (N=11) received the education program plus 18
meetings of a patient- led self-help group. The patient-led group focused on coping
skills, group discussions, structured social activities, and continuing diabetes
education. At the end of the study, those who participated in both the education program
and the patient-led group had better diabetes knowledge and quality of life and lower
depression than non-participants. The participants in the peer-led group also reported
less stress, greater family involvement, and better glycemic control than the patients who
received no intervention.
-
- Simmons, D. (1992). Diabetes Self Help Facilitated by Local Diabetes Research: The
Coventry Asian Diabetes Support Group. Diabetic Medicine 9: 866-869.
-
- Researchers assessed members of a self-help group for South Asian diabetics in England
(N=53) for levels of glycated haemoglobin and knowledge about diabetes. Those who attended
the group twice or more during a year had a significantly greater drop in glycated
haemoglobin levels and a significantly greater increase in knowledge about diabetes.
Although professionals helped start the group, it continues to operate independently,
emphasizing education, mutual support, information sharing, and family social activities.
Caregiver Groups
- Minde, K., N. Shosenberg, et al. (1980). Self-Help Groups in a Premature Nursery--a
Controlled Evaluation. Behavioral Pediatrics 96(5): 933-940.
-
- Parents of premature infants were randomly assigned to participate in support groups in
a hospital. The weekly groups (1.5 to 2 hours long) focused on coping and were co-led by a
mother who had had a premature infant and by a nurse. Speakers were also brought in from
outside periodically. Compared to 29 parents who did not participate, the 28 participants
visited their infants in the hospital significantly more often, and touched, talked to,
and gazed at their infants more often during visits. Participants also rated themselves
more competent at infant care. Three months after their babies were discharged, group
participants continued to show more involvement with their infants during feedings and
were more concerned about their infants' general development.
-
- Toseland, R. W., Rossiter, C. M., and Labrecque, M. S. (1989). The Effectiveness of
Two Kinds of Support Groups for Caregivers. Social Service Review, September:
415-432.
-
- This study divided 103 adult women caring for frail older relatives into three
conditions: participation in a peer-led self-help group, participation in a
professional-led support group, and no participation in either group. Groups met for eight
weekly two-hour sessions. Both groups focused on enhancing coping skills. Compared to
non-participants, women who participated in either type of group experienced significantly
greater (1) increases in the size of their support network, (2) increases in their
knowledge of community resources, (3) improvement in their interpersonal skills and
ability to deal with the problems of caregiving, (4) improvement in their relationships
with their care receivers, and (5) decreases in pressing psychological problems.
Groups for Elderly
People
- Lieberman, M. A. and Bliwise, N. G. (1985). Comparisons Among Peer and Professionally
Directed Groups for the Elderly: Implications for the Development of Self-Help Groups. International
Journal of Group Psychotherapy 35(2): 155-175.
-
- This study compared participants (86 women and 22 men) in peer-led and
professionally-led SAGE (Senior Actualization and Growth Explorations) self-help groups
for the elderly to those who were on a waiting list to join the groups. Members of both
types of SAGE groups felt they achieved their desired goals to a greater extent than those
in the waiting-list group. Participation in either SAGE group also reduced psychological
problems, such as nervousness and depression.
Cancer Groups
- Maisiak, R., M. Cain, et al. (1981). Evaluation of TOUCH: An Oncology Self-Help
Group. Oncology Nursing Forum 8(3): 20-25.
-
- This study surveyed 139 members of TOUCH, a self-help group for cancer patients in
Alabama. TOUCH focuses on teaching its members about cancer and training them to be peer
counselors to help other patients. The longer members participated in a group, the more
they improved their knowledge of cancer, their ability to talk with others, their
friendships, their family life, their coping with the disease, and their following of
doctors' orders. The percentage of people indicating their coping was very good after
TOUCH was 59%, more than double the percentage indicating it was very good before TOUCH
(28%).
-
- Spiegel, D., Bloom, J. R., Kraemer, H.C. and Gottheil, E. (1989). "Effect of
psychosocial treatment on survival of patients with metastatic breast cancer." The
Lancet October 14: 888-891.
-
- Participants in this study were 86 women undergoing treatment for metastatic breast
cancer. A subset of these women (N=50) were randomly assigned to have their oncologic care
supplemented with a weekly support group. The support groups were co-facilitated by a
therapist who had breast cancer in remission and a psychiatrist or social worker. The
sessions focused on living life fully, improving communication with family members and
doctors, facing death, expressing emotions such as grief, and controlling pain through
self-hypnosis. On average, support group participants lived twice as long as controls (an
average of almost 18 months longer).
Chronic Illnesses
- Becu, M., Becu, N., Manzur, G. and Kochen, S. (1993). Self-Help Epilepsy Groups: An
Evaluation of Effect on Depression and Schizophrenia. Epilepsia 34(5): 841-845.
-
- A group of Argentine researchers conducted a 4-month longitudinal study of 67 epileptic
patients who participated in weekly self-help group meetings. Epileptic patients trained
by psychologists led the groups. Group participants had decreased depression and other
psychological problems over the course of the study.
-
- Hinrichsen, G. A., T. A. Revenson, et al. (1985). Does Self-Help Help? An Empirical
Investigation of Scoliosis Peer Support Groups. Journal of Social Issues 41(1):
65-87.
-
- Adults with scoliosis who had undergone bracing or surgery and participated in a
Scoliosis Association self-help group (N=33) were compared to adults with similar
treatment who did not participate in the group (N=67). Compared to non-participants, group
participants reported (1) a more positive outlook on life, (2) greater satisfaction with
the medical care they received, (3) reduced psychosomatic symptoms, (4) increased sense of
mastery, (5) increased self-esteem, and (6) reduced feelings of shame and estrangement.
-
- Nash, K. B. and K. D. Kramer (1993). Self-Help for Sickle Cell Disease in African
American Communities. Journal of Applied Behavioral Science 29(2): 202-215.
-
- This study focused on 57 African Americans who had been members of self-help groups for
sickle-cell anemia. The members who had been involved the longest reported the fewest
psychological symptoms and the fewest psychosocial interferences from the disease,
particularly in work and relationship areas.
-
- Sibthorpe, B., D. Fleming, et al. (1994). Self-Help Groups: A Key to HIV Risk
Reduction for High-Risk Injection Drug Users? Journal of Acquired Immune Deficiency
Syndromes 7(6): 592-598.
-
- Injection drug users (N=234) who had shared a dirty needle in the previous 30 days were
followed over six months. Those who attended self-help groups (mostly Narcotics Anonymous
and Alcoholics Anonymous) during that time were almost twice as likely to report reducing
or eliminating their risk of exposure to HIV compared to those who did not attend such
groups.
If you know of an article on self-help group effectiveness that is not on this
page, or have comments, please contact Keith
Humphreys.
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