<p>Grønbæk and Nielsen (2007) conducted a randomized, controlled study of the Minnesota model for treating alcohol dependence in Denmark. 148 alcohol dependent individuals participated. The study reported a significant difference in alcohol abstinence between control and treatment groups when data was aggregated over the one-year period. However, by the end of the one-year followup period, this difference had disappeared. They concluded:</p>

<blockquote>
  <p>Twelve months after onset of treatment, the Minnesota day clinic treatment does not differ in effect from the much cheaper ‘standard’ public treatment. However, patients in Minnesota treatment were total abstainers throughout a longer period.</p>
</blockquote>

<h2>References</h2>

<ul>
<li>Grønbæk, M., &amp; Nielsen, B. (2007). A randomized controlled trial of Minnesota day clinic treatment of alcoholics. Addiction, 102(3), 381-388.</li>
</ul>

CC BY-SA 3.0
2015-05-16T15:04:45.363Z
2015-05-16T15:12:19.787Z
2015-05-16T15:12:19.787Z
Christian Hummeluhr
<p>The <a href="https://www.hazelden.org/web/public/minnesotamodel.page" rel="nofollow">Minnesota 12 steps model</a> claims to cure drug addiction, but doesn't deeply deal with the personality structure underlying addiction. We know today how addiction is a problem with an enormous range of factors causing it, being personality or/and psychopathology and coping strategies some of the most important. </p>

<p>The method uses 12 steps to free individuals from drugs, but it doesn't use any deep approach to their personalities and its duration is also too short to do it ("The primary care program was intended to last up to 60 days in a residential setting", " "insurance companies then set 28 days as a reimbursement guideline in order to ensure sufficient coverage"(1).
There is even little evidence that this model is effective, and it received criticisms.  </p>

<p>Hence my questions:</p>

<ul>
<li>Is it really producing changes, or only temporary changes which can collapse every time that personality is challenged?</li>
<li>Can it be realistically expected that the individuals treated by this method have their personalities really transformed and would never feel the necessity of consuming drugs, or have other type of addictive behaviours?</li>
</ul>

<p>(1) <a href="http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/books/NBK64351/" rel="nofollow">http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/books/NBK64351/</a> </p>

CC BY-SA 3.0
2014-04-29T23:24:10.150Z
Would you mind providing links and/or background information to clarify your question?
Keegan Keplinger
CC BY-SA 3.0
2014-05-01T22:18:10.807Z
Your question received a lot of close votes for "unclear what you are asking". I have tried to restructure your post, isolated the questions from the background, added more tags, and a link. If I changed the intent of your question then please roll-back or make more edits. You also make a claim in your question ("its duration is also too short to do it") without any evidence. Please provide a reference for this claim, or remove it.
Artem Kaznatcheev
CC BY-SA 3.0
2014-05-01T22:23:17.230Z
Thanks you for your help in the edition of the question. I will try to clarify the aspects you have mentioned.
Di Ana
CC BY-SA 3.0
2014-05-01T22:29:12.843Z
@ArtemKaznatcheev: "If I changed the *internet* of your question" :D Mobile app autocorrect?
Nick Stauner
CC BY-SA 3.0
2014-05-01T22:33:02.613Z
@NickStauner I wish I could blame it on that, but I am on my laptop and it was just me doing too many things at once and not paying attention to what my fingers were typing. It is pretty common for me.
Artem Kaznatcheev
CC BY-SA 3.0
2014-05-01T23:27:26.630Z
Maybe this link can also be helpful:
http://www.minnpost.com/mental-health-addiction/2014/03/aa-and-twelve-steps-come-another-drubbing
Di Ana
<abnormal-psychology><personality><psychiatry><addiction>
Does the Minnesota 12 steps model really produce an effective change in the treatment of drugs addictions?
Di Ana
# Does the Minnesota 12 steps model really produce an effective change in the treatment of drugs addictions?

(Asked by: username_0 on 2014-04-27)

The [Minnesota 12 steps model](https://www.hazelden.org/web/public/minnesotamodel.page) claims to cure drug addiction, but doesn't deeply deal with the personality structure underlying addiction. We know today how addiction is a problem with an enormous range of factors causing it, being personality or/and psychopathology and coping strategies some of the most important.

The method uses 12 steps to free individuals from drugs, but it doesn't use any deep approach to their personalities and its duration is also too short to do it ("The primary care program was intended to last up to 60 days in a residential setting", " "insurance companies then set 28 days as a reimbursement guideline in order to ensure sufficient coverage"(1).
There is even little evidence that this model is effective, and it received criticisms.

Hence my questions:

* Is it really producing changes, or only temporary changes which can collapse every time that personality is challenged?
* Can it be realistically expected that the individuals treated by this method have their personalities really transformed and would never feel the necessity of consuming drugs, or have other type of addictive behaviours?

(1) <http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/books/NBK64351/>

**Tags:** abnormal-psychology, personality, psychiatry, addiction

> **Comments:**
> **username_1**: Would you mind providing links and/or background information to clarify your question?  
> **username_2**: Your question received a lot of close votes for "unclear what you are asking". I have tried to restructure your post, isolated the questions from the background, added more tags, and a link. If I changed the intent of your question then please roll-back or make more edits. You also make a claim in your question ("its duration is also too short to do it") without any evidence. Please provide a reference for this claim, or remove it.  
> **username_0**: Thanks you for your help in the edition of the question. I will try to clarify the aspects you have mentioned.  
> **username_3**: @ArtemKaznatcheev: "If I changed the *internet* of your question" :D Mobile app autocorrect?  
> **username_2**: @NickStauner I wish I could blame it on that, but I am on my laptop and it was just me doing too many things at once and not paying attention to what my fingers were typing. It is pretty common for me.  
> **username_0**: Maybe this link can also be helpful: http://www.minnpost.com/mental-health-addiction/2014/03/aa-and-twelve-steps-come-another-drubbing  

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## 1 answers

### Answer by username_4 on 2015-05-16. Score: 4

Grønbæk and Nielsen (2007) conducted a randomized, controlled study of the Minnesota model for treating alcohol dependence in Denmark. 148 alcohol dependent individuals participated. The study reported a significant difference in alcohol abstinence between control and treatment groups when data was aggregated over the one-year period. However, by the end of the one-year followup period, this difference had disappeared. They concluded:

> Twelve months after onset of treatment, the Minnesota day clinic treatment does not differ in effect from the much cheaper ‘standard’ public treatment. However, patients in Minnesota treatment were total abstainers throughout a longer period.

## References

* Grønbæk, M., & Nielsen, B. (2007). A randomized controlled trial of Minnesota day clinic treatment of alcoholics. Addiction, 102(3), 381-388.


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