Systemic organizational support for self-help groups.

Abstract

A framework for analyzing relationships between self-help groups and systemic organizational support is presented and two affiliation hypotheses tested. Self-help group birthrates in New Jersey over an 18-month period exceeded death rates. Affiliated groups greatly outnumbered independent groups but the birthrate for the latter was higher. Death rates for different types of groups were similar, except for Alcoholics Anonymous groups, which had a higher survival rate.