Affiliation to the Alcoholics Anonymous (AA) community: A qualitative study on differences between highly affiliated and low/non-affiliated individuals.

Aim: The aim of this study was to identify and elucidate the differences between highly affiliated and low/non-affiliated participants in Alcoholics Anonymous (AA) meetings. Methods: A qualitative study of 24 participants was conducted in Romania between March and June 2021. Data were collected by means of in-depth interviews. Thematic analysis was used to obtain a comprehensive synthesis of the data collected. Findings: Highly affiliated individuals are those who identify themselves as AA members, are sober, have worked the 12 Steps, are satisfied with their lives, experience a state of well-being, accept the Higher Power, have hit the bottom, have a strong desire for abstinence, attend AA meetings on a regular basis, and are committed to both AA and their sobriety. Conclusion: Although there are common themes among both highly and low/non-affiliated individuals, the results suggest that addiction specialists should pay more attention to organisational commitment, spirituality, well-being and addiction-related concepts as it seems some of them may determine successful AA affiliation, while others may reflect on recovery outcomes. These findings could prove useful to motivate individuals who struggle with alcohol addiction and are reluctant in joining AA, since high AA affiliation is associated with a wide range of recovery benefits.