Digital or In-Person Provision of Group Work in Alcohol Use Disorders? The Results of an Open-Label Study

Background: The COVID-19 pandemic necessitated that treatment groups be provided digitally. This has created an opportunity to compare the digital provision of the Abstinence Preparation Group, a pre-habilitation intervention for people with alcohol dependence, with the pre-existing in-person provision, reported in 2016. Methods: A mixed quantitative and qualitative approach was followed. People seeking treatment for alcohol dependence from a community Alcohol Use Disorder service in England were included. Quantitative data were collected retrospectively. A selection of people was also interviewed. Results: Twenty-six (60.4%) completed the D-APG and of those, 17/26 (65.3%) achieved abstinence. Fourteen (54%) were completely abstinent at 1 month, 10 (38%) at 3 months and 8 (31%) at 6 months. Participants felt the group was more educational than therapeutic, with reduced interaction between participants. On the other hand, participants with anxiety or difficulties traveling appreciated the flexibility of the digital group. Both quantitative and qualitative results indicate that in-person APG is more effective, nevertheless, D-APG seems to be an alternative treatment option for certain people. Conclusions: While the digital group offers a valid alternative for some people, in-person APG seems to be more effective for structured preparation before detoxification