Impact of work on early-recovery alcoholics anonymous affiliation

The impact of work on Alcoholics Anonymous (A.A.) affiliation has not been studied despite the fact that work experiences and workplace dynamics may influence problem drinkers participation in post-treatment recovery programs such as A.A. This exploratory study recruited individuals (N = 55) from inpatient and intensive outpatient treatment for alcohol problems and assessed their A.A. involvement approximately three months after discharge. An expanded measure of affiliation is used, including participation in a range of A.A. practices and acceptance of major A.A. tenets. Questionnaire and interview data were gathered on employment status, alcohol-related job problems, job stability, perceived workplace support, attitudes toward work, severity of drinking-related problems, health, mental health, relationship factors, and demographics. The degree to which subjects generally perceived that they had a serious drinking problem ('hit bottom') was associated with affiliation, but alcohol-related job problems, in particular, were not. Subjects described their current work situation as having negative, positive, or no influence on their recovery, and those with a negative view had lower levels of affiliation despite reporting a serious drinking problem. Subjects who reported job stability and positive views of work also were less likely to affiliate with A.A.