Psychology and self-help groups: Predictions on a partnership.

Abstract

Continued growth and increased legitimacy are anticipated for the American self-help group (SHG) phenomenon. Currently estimated at six and a quarter million participants annually, self-help groups will assume a central role in the nation's mental health delivery system over the next two decades. The first part of this article illuminates the self-help group phenomenon itself. Its scope, characteristics, supporting social climate, and associated research issues are reviewed. The second part is a futuristic examination of its interface with the newly industrializing world of health care. Massive increases in mental health services are predicted, especially via the SHG format. Theory development, research sophistication, changing SHG formats, a place in public policy, and acceptance into graduate curricula are also expected, as are collaborative relationships with a variety of professional disciplines. Psychologists are urged to enhance the relevance of the profession by taking an early leadership role in these developments.

Continuum of professional involvement in self-help groups

“…The last 10 years has seen increasing professional involvement both in terms of the number of groups associated with professionals, and the level at which these professional are involved ( Jacobs & Goodman, 1989). Most clearinghouses struggle to develop and adhere to criteria to delineate which groups are appropriate for their databases and directories.…”

Capturing Dynamic Processes of Change in GROW Mutual Help Groups for Mental Health

“…MHG researchers worldwide have long argued that traditional positivistic methodologies are inappropriate for the study of these groups. They say the positivistic paradigm will never map comfortably onto MHGs because it would destroy the indigenous control that defines MHGs (e.g., Borkman and Schubert 1994;Jacobs and Goodman 1989). Researchers say control group studies would jeopardize research validity in that the natural composition of MHGs would thereby be changed (Humphreys and Rappaport 1994).…”

Religious support and religious struggle as predictors of quality of life in alkoholics anonymous: Moderation by duration of abstinence

“…Individuals addicted to alcohol scored lower on measures of functioning, well-being, and the general indicator of perceived health -in comparison to individuals who abuse alcohol (Patience et al, 1997). Differences in the subjective assessment of quality of life have been observed also in groups of individuals addicted to alcohol undergoing various treatment programs (Woronowicz, 2001): for outpatients (Burdon, Dang, Prendergast, Messina, & Farabee, 2007) or sys-tematic treatment selection -STS 1 (Harwood, Beutler, Williams, & Stegman, 2011), and in members of self-support groups (Jacobs & Goodman, 1989). In the research conducted by Stach (1991), individuals addicted to alcohol who were members of an Alcoholics Anonymous support group did not differ significantly in the assessment of quality of life from the control group of healthy patients.…”