The effect of 12-step mutual help groups (e.g., Narcotics Anonymous) on members' friendship networks has received little attention. This 1-year longitudinal study examined such effects in a sample of 2,337 male substance abuse inpatients, 57.7% of whom became significantly involved in 12-step activities (e.g., reading program literature, attending meetings) after treatment. An a priori model of the interplay of 12-step involvement) and friendship networks was tested using structural equation modeling, and found to have excellent fit to the data. Twelve-step group involvement after treatment predicted better general friendship characteristics (e.g., number of close friends) and substance abuse-specific friendship characteristics (e.g., proportion of friends who abstain from drugs and alcohol) at follow-up. Results are discussed in terms of how mutual help group involvement benefits patients and how the self-help group evaluation paradigm should be broadened.

In this psychometric study, the authors evaluated a scale measuring treatment staff members' (n = 329) beliefs about the nature and treatment of substance abuse problems. This scale, the Short Understanding of Substance Abuse Scale (SUSS), is based on the work of Moyers (1991;T. B. Moyers & W. R. Miller, 1993) and assesses staff members' endorsement of disease, psychosocial learning, and eclectic treatment orientations. Data presented in this article support the reliability of subscales that, for ease of administration, have been shortened from T. B. Moyers and W. R. Miller's original version. Evidence suggests that the SUSS has convergent and discriminant validity and is not affected by a yea-saying response bias. SUSS norms for different types of substance abuse treatment staff are presented, and suggestions for further applications and improvements of the measure are put forward.The beliefs of staff members who work with substance abuse patients are an important focus of research because they may influence staff members' perceptions and treatment of substance

No abstract

No abstract