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Understanding the social and community support experiences of sexual and gender minority individuals in 12-Step programs
McGeough, Briana L. Paceley, Meg Zemore, Sarah E. Lunn, Mitchell R. Obedin-Maliver, Juno Lubensky, Micah E. Flentje, Annesa
McGeough, Briana L.
Paceley, Meg
Zemore, Sarah E.
Lunn, Mitchell R.
Obedin-Maliver, Juno
Lubensky, Micah E.
Flentje, Annesa
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Abstract
Sexual and gender minority individuals (e.g., gay, bisexual, non-binary, transgender; SGMI) are 2-6 times as likely as cisgender heterosexual individuals to experience alcohol or other substance use disorders. SGMI participate in 12-Step groups, such as Alcoholics Anonymous (AA), at high rates. Though social support is an established mechanism through which 12-Step programs support reductions in substance use, little is known about SGMI’s experiences of the social support in 12-Step programs. This qualitative study aims to understand the experiences of social and community support among SGMI involved in 12-Step programs. This study employed thematic analysis to interpret open-ended responses from 302 SGMI who had participated in 12-Step programs. Data was from The PRIDE Study, a large, national, online. longitudinal, cohort study of SGMI. Two themes emerged about how SGMI experienced social and community support in 12-Step programs: beneficial connections and harmful environments. Beneficial connections included a sense of community, shared experiences, and skills provision. Harmful environments included marginalization, oppression, violence, and bullying. This study highlights the variability of experiences of SGMI participating in 12-Step programs. These findings suggest that many SGMI may benefit from 12-Step programs but may need support in coping with potential harms that can emerge through participation.
Description
This is an Accepted Manuscript of an article published by Taylor & Francis in Journal of Gay and Lesbian Social Services on 25 Jan 2023, available at: http://www.tandfonline.com/10.1080/10538720.2023.2172759.
Date
2023-01-25
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Taylor and Francis Group
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Keywords
Mutual help groups, Substance use, Social support, Sexual and gender minority individuals, LGBTQ-affirming services
Citation
McGeough, B. L., Paceley, M., Zemore, S. E., Lunn, M. R., Obedin-Maliver, J., Lubensky, M. E., & Flentje, A. (2023). Understanding the social and community support experiences of sexual and gender minority individuals in 12-Step programs. Journal of Gay & Lesbian Social Services, 1-22. https://doi.org/10.1080/10538720.2023.2172759