Factors Contributing to the Survival of Self‐Help Groups

Despite the growing utilization of self‐help groups, there have been only a handful of studies that have examined the factors that contribute to their survival. The purpose of this study was to explore the factors that contribute to self‐help group survival by examining their relationship with external sources (i.e., national and local self‐help organizations, professionals) and group organizational characteristics (i.e., leadership diversification, recruitment, attendance at group meetings). Representatives from 245 active and 94 recently disbanded self‐help groups were included in the analysis. Results indicated that the primary factors that discriminated between active and disbanded groups were the number of new people to attend a meeting, average group meeting attendance, length of existence, leadership diversification, outreach to potential group members, and support from national and local organizations. Results are discussed in terms of what national self‐help organizations, self‐help clearinghouses, and others who interact with self‐help groups can do to empower and support them.