Addiction, Treatment and Recovery

Surveys indicate that 8% of American drinkers eventually become alcohol-dependent. Treatment providers endeavor to match those who seek treatment with the program most appropriate for their needs. There are two basic models of treatment programs: one is spiritually based such as Alcoholics Anonymous (AA), and the other is a more clinical model without a spiritual component.

Past research has shown that spirituality facilitates recovery from alcoholism. Positive outcomes have been reported for AA attendance, length of sobriety, and a general sense of purpose in life. However, some individuals may be uncomfortable with a spiritually-based treatment program and thus such treatment may be less effective – or ineffective. It would seem reasonable to expect that a patient placed in a program that corresponds to his or her own level of spirituality would be more receptive to treatment, less likely to terminate treatment prematurely, and be less likely to report a continuing desire to drink at the end of the treatment program.

In a study to test this hypothesis, volunteers were placed in two treatment facilities; one of the programs was based on the 12- step philosophy with spirituality at its core. The program includes individual and group therapy sessions, individual counseling by chaplains, and required weekly healing sessions or nondenominational spirituality presentations. Patients were asked to complete a series of questionnaires concerning the severity of their alcohol addiction and levels of spirituality. The other treatment program adhered to a medical model of addiction where spirituality was not a core feature, although patients were encouraged to attend 12-step meetings. Both programs included patients who tested with a broad range of spirituality levels.

Surprisingly, researchers found that an incompatible match between the patient’s level of spirituality and the spiritual orientation of the program did not result in premature termination of treatment. Nor did incompatibility negatively affect abstinence rates. However, patients in the non-spiritual program who were found to have a low level of spirituality did have poorest end-of-treatment outcomes. An encouraging finding was that less spiritual patients who were placed in the spiritual treatment program had satisfactory end-of-treatment outcomes. Researchers conclude that regardless of the individual’s belief system, exposure to spirituality in a treatment program seems to contribute to optimal treatment outcomes.

(Sterling, RC, Weinstein, S, Hill, P, Gottheil, E, Gordon, SM, Shorie, K: Levels of spirituality and treatment outcome: A preliminary examination. Journal of Studies on Alcohol 67: 600-606, 2006.)

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