Skip to main page content
U.S. flag

An official website of the United States government

Dot gov

The .gov means it’s official.
Federal government websites often end in .gov or .mil. Before sharing sensitive information, make sure you’re on a federal government site.

Https

The site is secure.
The https:// ensures that you are connecting to the official website and that any information you provide is encrypted and transmitted securely.

Access keys NCBI Homepage MyNCBI Homepage Main Content Main Navigation
. 2015 Aug;39(4):191-5.
doi: 10.1192/pb.bp.114.048322.

'Spirituality' and 'cultural adaptation' in a Latino mutual aid group for substance misuse and mental health

Affiliations

'Spirituality' and 'cultural adaptation' in a Latino mutual aid group for substance misuse and mental health

Brian T Anderson et al. BJPsych Bull. 2015 Aug.

Abstract

A previously unknown Spanish-language mutual aid resource for substance use and mental health concerns is available in Latino communities across the USA and much of Latin America. This kind of '4th and 5th step' group is a 'culturally adapted' version of the 12-step programme and provides empirical grounds on which to re-theorise the importance of spirituality and culture in mutual aid recovery groups. This article presents ethnographic data on this organisation.

PubMed Disclaimer

Conflict of interest statement

Declaration of interest None.

Figures

Fig 1
Fig 1
Picture hanging in all 12-step Latino groups' meeting rooms. Photograph by the author

References

    1. Garcia A, Anderson B, Martinez M. Fourth and fifth step groups: a new and growing self-help organization for underserved latinos with alcohol and other drug use disorders. Alcohol Treat Q 2015, in press.
    1. Brandes SH. Staying Sober in Mexico City. University of Texas Press, 2002.
    1. Nichter M. Idioms of distress revisited. Cult Med Psychiatry 2010; 34: 401-16. - PubMed
    1. Humphries K. Circles of Recovery: Self-Help Organizations for Addictions. Cambridge University Press, 2004: 151.
    1. Amaro H, Arévalo S, Gonzalez G, Szapocznik J, Iguchi MY. Needs and scientific opportunities for research on substance abuse treatment among Hispanic adults. Drug Alcohol Depend 2006; 84 (supp 1): s64-75. - PubMed

LinkOut - more resources