Is level of exposure to a 12-step facilitation therapy associated with treatment outcome?

This study examined whether level of exposure to Stimulant Abuser Groups to Engage in 12-Step (STAGE-12), a 12-Step facilitative therapy, is related to treatment outcome. Data were from a large National Drug Abuse Treatment Clinical Trials Network (CTN) study comparing STAGE-12 combined with treatment-as-usual (TAU) to TAU alone. These analyses include only those randomized to STAGE-12 (n = 234). Assessments occurred at baseline and 30, 60, 90, and 180 days following randomization. High-exposure patients (n = 158; attended at least 2 of 3 individual, and 3 of 5 group, sessions), compared to those with less exposure (n = 76), demonstrated: (1) higher odds of self-reported abstinence from, and lower rates of, stimulant and non-stimulant drug use; (2) lower probabilities of stimulant-positive urines; (3) more days of attending and lower odds of not attending 12-Step meetings; (4) greater likelihood of reporting no drug problems; (5) more days of duties at meetings; and (6) more types of 12-Step activities. Many of these differences declined over time, but several were still significant by the last follow-up. Treatment and research implications are discussed.