2005 LifeRing Participant Survey

2005 LifeRing Participant Survey: Results

Same document as PDF file suitable for printing

Note: The LifeRing Board of Directors called for a survey in the summer of 2004. A pilot study was conducted in a single meeting in September 2004, yielding 30 responses. After minor modifications, the survey was launched publicly during January 2005. A total of 371 additional usable responses were received, for a total of 401. Of these, 195 were paper questionnaires and 206 were received online on www.unhooked.com using software by Perseus Survey Solutions. Lee N. of Hayward CA performed extensive primary data management and statistical analysis, which form the foundation for the present report. Craig O. and Robert D. of Hayward CA, performed the pilot survey. Katie F. of Berkeley and Carola Z.of Walnut Creek CA entered the bulk of the paper questionnaire responses into the computer. LifeRing convenors Jack P.of New York, Jack McNeil of Vancouver Island, Jason Kelly of Guelph, Mark C. of San Francisco, Mark L. of Walnut Creek, Katie F. of Berkeley, Wendy W. and Larry R. of San Rafael, Carola Z. of Walnut Creek, and others made copies of the questionnaire, administered it in their meetings, and forwarded the results to the LifeRing Service Center. LifeRing convenors Gary B., Chet G., Henry S., Andree G., Ernie C., Matt M., Dennis T., Meg H. and others cooperated with the survey takers by setting aside time in their meetings for members to fill out the questionnaire. The author of this report is Marty N.

Q. 1. How long have you been participating in LifeRing?

Today is my first contact	59	15%
Less than 90 days	76	19%
Three months to a year	93	23%
More than a year	137	34%
More than five years	35	9%
No Answer	1	0%
Total	401	100%

Well over half of the sample (57%) were relative newcomers to LifeRing, having participated less than one year. About one out of six participants (15%) were experiencing their first contact with LifeRing on the day of the survey. More than four out of ten (43%) had been participating in LifeRing longer than one year. Nine per cent had been participating for more than five years.

Q. 2. Which of the following describes you? Choose all that apply.

 Person in recovery myself	373	93%
 In a relationship with someone in recovery	32	8%
 Treatment professional	17	4%
 Observer	17	4%
No answer	5	1%

LifeRing is overwhelmingly an organization of people who are themselves in recovery.

Q. 3. How did you hear about LifeRing? Choose all that apply.

A counselor told me about it	150	37%
A friend in recovery told me about it	50	12%
I found it on the Internet	137	34%
I read about it in a newspaper or magazine	18	4%
I heard a LifeRing speaker presentation	26	6%
I heard about it on the radio	1	0%
I picked up a LifeRing handout	41	10%
I saw a LifeRing flyer posted	34	8%
Other:	22	5%
No Answer	3	1%

People hear about LifeRing at this time from two main sources: a counselor or other treatment professional (37%), and via the Internet (34%). Our other efforts to spread the word – through LifeRing handouts, flyers, speakers, and media coverage – together reached about 28 per cent of these respondents. Fewer than five per cent heard about LifeRing through media coverage. Word of mouth via a friend or family member reached about 12 per cent.

The “Other” consisted of people who heard about LifeRing while participating in other organizations, namely Secular Organizations for Sobriety (14), Alcoholics Anonymous (2) and Moderation Management (1).

Q. 4. What parts of your LifeRing experience give you the most satisfaction? Choose all that apply.

Ranked in descending order of frequency, the survey participants said:

Absence of religious content	224	56%
The atmosphere is positive, empowering	223	56%
Encouragement to build a personal recovery program	214	53%
Crosstalk is encouraged	210	52%
Small group setting	203	51%
Everyone participates	194	48%
Strong support for abstinence	179	45%
Current events topic ("How was your week?")	116	29%
Absence of war stories ("drunkalogues")	110	27%
Other	34	8%
No Answer	26	6%

The “Other” category included the following, in no particular order: “Relaxed setting … Many members are liberal\intellectual … no superstition … intelligent friends/folks, people willing to take responsibility for their health/recovery, no 'shoulds’ … No shame from the group over relapses, just encouragement … I am only in an online group but the daily conversation is helpful … sometimes the war stories are useful too. I hear them now and again, and it TODAY reminds me of the bad-old days. It's something I must never forget, or relapse is certain. I find the war stories tend to be mostly stories about how messed up we WERE... Lots of laughter while being serious about sobriety … The strong bond that forms between the people within a group, because of the small setting … it's like a family, a group of people who care … Lack of judgment towards others’ decisions (leave spouse, stay with spouse, etc.) … I am responsible for my own recovery … Not AA … Laughter … Admirable people … Ongoing group support … Freedom to discuss psychological issues … Light hearted, fun setting … LifeRing offers more practical advice for staying sober, not the religious, self-flagellating mumbo jumbo that was interfering with my recovery. I like the lack of slogans and group-speak… Free to build a recovery however you want it to be… Great alternative to AA … Friendships … It's great!”

Q. 5. How could LifeRing improve so as to create a better experience for you?

More than 100 people wrote responses to this item. The largest group of responses by far asked for LifeRing to become bigger. People said: “I wish you had meetings in my area. Charlotte, NC … Get the word out more … Open a branch on Oahu, HI, USA … More meetings … More meetings … More meetings … Needs to become more mainstream in the UK…. Perhaps more than twice a week meetings in Guelph … There could be more meetings … more meetings … more chat times … More Chat Room Meetings …An early morning meeting on a weekday M-F?...More meetings in San Francisco… Wish there were f2f meetings in my area … Local f2f group …. F2F meetings in UK … More groups in Houston TX … more hosted chats online … I would like to find a local meeting … Face2face meetings in my area … Needs more F2F meetings outside major metro areas … f2f meetings in my area … More f2f meetings. Southern Ca. … more meetings in San Leandro … More meetings available … More frequent weekend meetings … Have more meetings … Activities, working meeting, BBQ … More locations and times … More meetings in Livermore/Pleasanton area … more frequent meetings at Kaiser … More day meetings … More weekly meetings … more daytime meetings in Berkeley/Oakland … More locations … more regular meetings … More evening meetings … more meetings … Become stronger, offer retreats … meetings every day at one place … more meetings … Locating a meeting in Livermore … more meetings available … Workbook study … More meeting times and locations … Have a closer LifeRing group in our area… workbook studies … More people … more Oakland meetings.”

The next largest group of responses wouldn’t change anything. They said: “Doing ok as it is for me… It's great just the way it is… Keep doing what you’re doing … continue as it has … This is perfect … Good as is … I really can't think of anything … Keep up the good work … The program runs well … No improvement needed … It's doing OK … No improvement necessary! … I like it the way it is… O.K. as is… Perfect so far… not necessary … continue what they are doing in program … you're doing great so far … positive atmosphere … It's been great … If it ain't broke, don't fix it.”

There was a handful of criticisms and suggestions. “Better moderation in f-2-f meetings,” wrote one person. “More structure to follow at each meeting,” was another suggestion. “More time for bigger group.” -- “Maybe have a time to time people's shares.” -- “No talk on exact drug they use.” -- “More recovery focus, less laming lists of problems.” -- “Passing topics around suggested by group members.”

One person suggested “Structured recovery seminars on a regular basis.” Another would like to see “Educational Topics/announcements etc.” And “I would like to see an adult children chat room.” – “More outside activities like a weekend barbeque.”

Three people wanted LifeRing to be more like AA: “Have a spiritual component… I don't like 'crosstalk'. It's rude & unhelpful… Have sponsorship.”

Two of the suggestions were lighthearted: “Have reclining chairs.” -- “More women more sex.”

Q. 6. Will you recommend LifeRing to your friends?

Yes	323
Undecided	58
No	5
No Answer	15

Most of the “undecideds” were too new to LifeRing to have an opinion. Omitting the undecideds and the no-answers, 98 per cent said “yes,” they would recommend LifeRing to their friends.

Q. 7. Which of the following LifeRing activities have you participated in? Choose all that apply.

Face-to-face meeting	251	63%
Internet chat room	122	30%
Email list	156	39%
Internet forum (online bulletin board)	66	16%
Attended a LifeRing social event	50	12%
Attended a LifeRing Congress	57	14%
Other:	18	4%
No Answer	26	6%

A little over 60 per cent (63%) of this sample had attended a LifeRing face-to-face (f2f) meeting. Nearly 40 per cent (39%) had participated in a LifeRing email list. Chat rooms were in third place with nearly a third (30%) of this sample participating.

A substantial proportion of participants in f2f meetings also participated online. One third of f2f participants also participated in an email list, and about a quarter (24%) were in chat rooms.

Proportion of F2F Participants Who Also Participated in
Chat room	59	24%
Email list	82	33%
Online forum	30	12%

Q. 8. What LifeRing publications have you read? Choose all that apply.

The responses, ranked in descending order, were:

Handouts	217	54%
Website	213	53%
Workbook	135	34%
Nothing or no answer	84	21%
Newsletter	82	20%
Handbook	76	19%
Keepers book	76	19%
Presenting book	49	12%
Bylaws booklet	48	12%
Other	10	3%

LifeRing handouts – the eight available brochures, the printed meeting schedule for the San Francisco Bay Area, the occasional Bulletin flyers – are the most widely known LifeRing outreach tools among this sample, with 54 per cent mentioning this category. The unhooked.com website runs a close second, with 53 per cent. No other LifeRing publication reached as many as half of this sample. The next most widely known LifeRing product is the workbook, with one third of the respondents stating that they had read it. More than one fifth of the respondents (21%) left this question blank, suggesting they had not read any LifeRing publication at all. Most of these were early in their recovery and/or contact with LifeRing.

Q. 9. How often do you usually attend LifeRing face-to-face meetings? Select one.

Five times a week or more	2	0%	1%
Two, three, or four times a week	68	17%	29%
About once a week	126	31%	54%
Every once in a while	39	10%	17%
I could go but I never do	21	5%
There are no LifeRing meetings in my area	108	27%
No Answer	37	9%

Nearly 60 per cent of this sample reported attending a face-to-face meeting. Of those who attend f2f meetings, the most frequent pattern by far (54%) is once a week. Thirty per cent say they attend a LifeRing f2f meeting more than once a week. Hardly any (two people out of 401 responding) go to five meetings a week.

10. How much time do you usually spend in LifeRing activity online on the Internet?

Five hours a week or more	34	8%	16%
Two, three, or four hours a week	54	13%	25%
About an hour a week	39	10%	18%
Every once in a while	92	23%	42%
Never	147	37%
No Answer	35	9%

More than 50 per cent of this sample reported spending time in LifeRing activity on the Internet. Of those who did use the Internet, 41 per cent spent more than one hour a week. About one out of six (16%) spent five hours a week or more on the Net.

Q. 11. If you participate in LifeRing online only, please answer this question. Why do you not participate in face-to-face LifeRing meetings?

There are no face-to-face meetings available to me	89	22%	67%
Online participation is more convenient for me	17	4%	13%
I feel safer in online meetings