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Recidivism in “controlled drinker” alcoholics: A longitudinal study
Author(s) -
Watson Charles G.
Publication year - 1987
Publication title -
journal of clinical psychology
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 1.124
H-Index - 119
eISSN - 1097-4679
pISSN - 0021-9762
DOI - 10.1002/1097-4679(198705)43:3<404::aid-jclp2270430315>3.0.co;2-4
Subject(s) - abstinence , psychology , recidivism , psychiatry , alcohol consumption , longitudinal study , injury prevention , suicide prevention , poison control , clinical psychology , medicine , alcohol , medical emergency , biochemistry , chemistry , pathology
This study tested the conflicting positions which maintain that moderate drinking invariably and rapidly leads alcoholics to uncontrolled inebriacy and that alcoholics are capable of sustaining controlled drinking over long periods without special training. We obtained 3‐, 6‐, 9‐, and 12‐month control‐over‐drinking follow‐up ratings on 42 treated alcoholics who had been identified as completely controlled drinkers. Between a fourth and a half were rated as abstinent or controlled drinkers at each follow‐up, while 21% to 37% were categorized either as uncontrolled or institutionalized. No subject was completely controlled for more than two consecutive trimesters. However, only 19% reportedly regressed to completely uncontrolled consumption within 3 months of their first evaluations, which casts doubt on the contention that even limited drinking ordinarily is followed by rapid regression. At their final followups, 47% were rated as abstinent or controlled drinkers and only 36% as uncontrolled or institutionalized. The findings did not support well either the abstinence or the controlled drinking position.