Evaluation of a group CBT intervention for the treatment of alcohol use disorder

With alcohol use disorder rising in England, evaluating the impact of interventions used in services is important. This evaluation was conducted in a third sector drug and alcohol service within South England. It aimed to explore the association of a structured cognitive behaviour therapy (CBT) group and engagement for service users in early recovery from alcohol use disorder, comparing outcomes with a previously unstructured psychosocial group. A mixed-methods approach compared the groups. Both groups lasted 12 sessions. Self-reported alcohol consumption, psychological health, physical health, and quality of life were measured using the Treatment Outcomes Profile (TOPs; Marsden et al., 2008). Quantitative data were analysed from 47 service users in the unstructured group and 43 in the structured CBT group. Qualitative analysis explored four service users’ feedback from the structured CBT group through interviews, using thematic analysis. Significantly more participants completed the structured CBT group (93.02% vs 74.47%). Structured group participants, on average, attended 50.97% of sessions, compared with 25.53% in the unstructured group. Mixed-model ANOVAs (repeated measures and between subjects) showed an improvement in psychological health, quality of life, and physical health regardless of the intervention type. Both groups also reduced alcohol consumption. Qualitative analysis identified two emerging themes, accessibility and a sense of belonging, alongside several subthemes. While both groups improved treatment outcomes, findings suggest a structured CBT group may be associated with more engagement and facilitate greater retention in treatment. Key learning aims: (1) To understand how engagement and treatment outcomes differ between a structured CBT group and an unstructured psychosocial group in the treatment of alcohol use disorder. (2) To identify potential mechanisms in a structured group which may influence engagement and treatment outcomes in the treatment of alcohol use disorder. (3) To reflect on differing ways to measure effectiveness of a group in community drug and alcohol services.