Women's and men's experiences in group therapy for substance use disorders: A qualitative analysis

Background and objectives: This thematic analysis of qualitative interviews from participants in Stage II randomized controlled trial examined women's and men's experiences in group therapy for substance use disorders (SUDs).

Methods: Interviews were conducted with 77 women and 38 men after completion of either the gender-specific Women's Recovery Group (WRG) or mixed-gender Group Drug Counseling (GDC). Interviews were coded for themes using a deductive approach with a coding scheme modified from the Stage I trial. Satisfaction was measured quantitatively posttreatment.

Results: Participants had high satisfaction scores with no significant differences between groups. Women in GDC rated group gender composition as less helpful than those in WRG. In the GDC group, women more frequently discussed the theme of self-perception (e.g., feelings of comfort, safety, shame) compared with men. Men overwhelmingly expressed the benefits of having women in the group, whereas women expressed advantages and disadvantages of mixed-gender groups and preference for single-gender groups. Guilt and shame were discussed by women and men; however, only women discussed stigma and its important role in their addiction and recovery.

Discussion and conclusion: Men more frequently endorsed the helpfulness of mixed-gender groups than did women while women appreciated the enhanced support in single-gender SUD groups. Issues of stigma are especially salient for women.

Scientific significance: Men and women express differences in their experiences of SUD group therapy. Only women endorse stigma as an obstacle to their treatment and recovery. Tailoring treatment to meet women's and men's needs may enhance engagement, retention, and clinical outcomes.