Making Alcoholics Anonymous Easier (MAAEZ)

Alcohol Research Group

Status and phase: Completed; Phase 3

Conditions: Drug Dependence; Alcohol Dependence

Treatments: Behavioral: Making Alcoholics Anonymous Easier (MAAEZ); Behavioral: Usual care

Study type: Interventional

Funder types: Other

Identifiers

NCT01382316

R01AA014688

Details and patient eligibility

About

This study tests the effectiveness of Making Alcoholics Anonymous Easier (MAAEZ), a manual-guided intervention designed to help alcohol and drug dependent clients connect with individuals encountered in AA. An OFF/ON design was used (n=508). MAAEZ effectiveness was determined by comparing abstinence rates of participants recruited during ON (MAAEZ intervention) and OFF (usual care) conditions and by studying the effect of the number of MAAEZ sessions attended. Better outcomes were hypothesized for MAAEZ vs. usual care. At 12 months, more clients in the ON condition (vs. OFF) reported past 30-day abstinence from alcohol, drugs, and both alcohol and drugs. Abstinence increased for each additional MAAEZ session received. MAAEZ appeared especially effective for those with more prior AA exposure, severe psychiatric problems, and atheists/agnostics. Mechanisms of action for MAAEZ (mediators of the MAAEZ effect) include: doing service in AA/NA/CA; having a sponsor; having a social network supportive of abstinence; and comfort being in meetings. MAAEZ represents an evidence-based intervention that is easily implemented in existing treatment programs.

Enrollment: 508 patients

Sex: All

Ages: 18+ years old

Volunteers: No Healthy Volunteers

Inclusion criteria

• current alcohol or drug dependence diagnosis

Exclusion criteria

• incapacitating mental or physical health; under age 18

Trial design

Primary purpose: Treatment

Allocation: Non-Randomized

Interventional model: Parallel Assignment

Masking: None (Open label)

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508 participants in 2 patient groups

Making Alcoholics Anonymous Easier

Experimental group

Description:

Six session, group format intervention, consisting of introductory session, four core sessions (sponsorship, principles not personalities, spirituality, living sober), and return to introductory session as MAAEZ graduate

Treatment:

Behavioral: Making Alcoholics Anonymous Easier (MAAEZ)

Usual care

Active Comparator group

Description:

Usual group sessions on education about alcohol and drug problems

Treatment:

Behavioral: Usual care