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. 2011 May 11;2011(5):CD008063. doi: 10.1002/14651858.CD008063.pub2

Kahler 2004.

Methods RCT.
Participants 48 US patients undergoing inpatient detoxification for alcohol dependence.
Interventions MET for 12‐step involvement (n= 24) vs brief advice to attend AA (n= 24).
Outcomes Physiological primary: None.
Non‐physiological primary: Percent of days abstinent, drinks per drinking day.
Secondary: AA/NA attendance and involvement.
Notes  
Risk of bias
Bias Authors' judgement Support for judgement
Random sequence generation (selection bias) Unclear risk "Eight cohorts of 6 participants were run to obtain the desired sample with treatment conditions for each cohort determined randomly."
Allocation concealment (selection bias) Unclear risk Insufficient information to permit judgment.
Blinding (performance bias and detection bias) 
 Patients and providers High risk No blinding.
Blinding (performance bias and detection bias) 
 Assessors Low risk "RAs (research assistants) were blind to treatment assignment of individuals and cohorts."
Incomplete outcome data (attrition bias) 
 All outcomes Low risk 48 were randomised. Attrition was 4%, 4%, 6%, 6%, 12%, and 12% at 1,2,3,4,5, and 6 months follow‐up, respectively. No reasons for insufficient data reported. No ITT performed.
Selective reporting (reporting bias) Low risk The published report included all expected outcomes based on the study hypotheses.
Other bias Unclear risk Collateral reports were used. However, because the two treatments were of different length, it is not possible to determine whether treatment intensity rather than treatment content caused the observed effects. There were no differences between groups at baseline.