This is a protocol for a Cochrane Review (Intervention). The objectives are as follows:

To assess the effectiveness of attendance of Alcoholics Anonymous programs versus other psychosocial interventions in reducing alcohol intake, obtaining abstinence, maintaining abstinence, improving the quality of life of affected people and their families, reducing alcohol associated accidents and health problems. The following interventions will be compared:

Twelve‐Steps programmes versus no intervention
Twelve‐Steps programmes versus other intervention (Motivational Enhancement Therapy (MET), Cognitive‐behavioural coping skills training (CBT), Relapse Prevention Therapy (RPT))
Twelve‐Steps programmes variants (Alcoholics anonymous spiritual, alcoholics anonymous non‐spiritual, alcoholics anonymous professionally led and alcoholics anonymous lay‐led) compared in separate analysis.