Why Do Academics Often Dismiss 12-Step Recovery?

"According to recent estimates, over two million people are currently in recovery in Alcoholics Anonymous (AA) worldwide. This includes about 1.5 million people in the U.S. and over 500,000 abroad, with over 120,000 meetings per week. Narcotics Anonymous (NA) also has hundreds of thousands of members, and 12-step programs have been extended to various other mental and physical health conditions, such as gambling, obesity, compulsive sex, and more. The number of people served by these programs exceeds all other self-help approaches combined."

"Nevertheless, AA and NA are often criticized by social scientists, some of whom flatly reject the 12-step approach. In his 2014 book, The Sober Truth, for example, Dr. Lance Dodes states bluntly that AA "simply doesn't work," citing a 5-10 percent success rate. Dodes goes on to claim that AA harms more people than it helps."

"Other critiques of 12-step programs abound, including their emphasis on powerlessness, their religious-spiritual focus, and their limited research base. AA members have even been described by academics as authoritarian, presumably because of their tightly structured program. Several critiques, including some written in the last five years, are impressionistic-something scientists are typically trained to avoid."

Over two million people are currently in recovery in Alcoholics Anonymous worldwide, including about 1.5 million in the U.S. and over 500,000 abroad, with more than 120,000 meetings per week. Narcotics Anonymous includes hundreds of thousands of members, and 12-step programs have been applied to gambling, obesity, compulsive sex, and other mental and physical health conditions. The reach of 12-step groups surpasses that of all other self-help approaches combined. Significant criticism exists from social scientists, including claims of low success rates and harm, emphasis on powerlessness and religiosity, limited research evidence, and perceptions of authoritarianism among members.

Read at Psychology Today