Moderation Management

Moderation Management (MM) is a

Methodology

Moderation Management allows members to set their own drinking goals as they feel appropriate.^[1] MM encourages members to follow particular drinking guidelines, limits, goal setting techniques, and a nine-step cognitive-behavioral change program.^[2]

The MM limits and guidelines were derived from the work of Dr. Martha Sanchez-Craig.

MM groups are intended to give members a chance to identify with other problem drinkers and learn from the successes and failures of each other. Face-to-face meetings last about an hour, whereas online meetings are ongoing. "Crosstalk," members interrupting each other to provide feedback during meetings, is allowed. Mental health professionals are allowed to help start MM meetings, but ultimate control must be left to the participants.^[4][6] A content analysis of online MM meetings found the most common types of communication by members were self-disclosure, provision of information and advice, and provision of emotional support. Similar studies of depression and eating disorder support groups have found the same patterns.^[7]

Membership

In a 2001 survey of Moderation Management, most MM members are white (96%), employed (81%), educated (72% have at least a college education) and on average are more secular than the rest of the population (32% identify as atheists or agnostics, only 16% regularly attend religious services). MM attracts an equal number of men and women (49% are female); depending on the kinds of meetings attended, between 11.9% and 33.8% of members were under 35 years of age.^[8]

MM members mostly describe themselves as being non-dependent problem drinkers. In general, MM members report having a mild history of substance-abuse problems before joining, with 40% having consumed four or fewer drinks per drinking day and less than 10% experienced serious withdrawal symptoms or comorbid drug abuse.^[8]

Alcohol consumption of members

The 2001 survey saw that 87.1% of online-only members (members whose participation in Moderation Management was online only) and 61.7% of face-to-face members (people who went only to real-world face-to-face meetings) drank four or more days a week. 70.6% of online-only and 49.1% of face-to-face-only members had five or more drinks on days they drank. Among members who went to both face-to-face and online meetings, 85.4% drank four or more days a week, and 53.8% had five or more drinks on drinking days.^[8]

Effectiveness

A 2009 study saw that subjects using just Moderation Management to reduce their drinking went from having only about one day a week abstinent from alcohol to having 1.5 days a week abstinent (e.g. they would drink six days one week and five days another week).^[9]

A 2012 paper argues that, while there is little scientific analysis of MM's efficacy, mutual support groups such as Moderation Management could be effective.^[10]

History

Moderation Management was founded by Audrey Kishline, a problem drinker, who did not identify with the

Kishline continued to drink once released from prison.[15] Soon after, she divorced from her husband and struggled to find work, in part due to her felony conviction.^[15] She developed a friendship with the wife and mother of the victims of her drunk driving crash, and they authored a book together on their relationship.^[15][16] She died of suicide at the age of 59 on December 19, 2014.^[15][17]

Literature

• Kishline, Audrey (December 1995). Moderate Drinking: The Moderation Management (TM) Guide for People Who Want to Reduce Their Drinking.
  OCLC 33947025
  .
• Rotgers, Frederick;
  OCLC 55204532
  .

References