Prediction of resumption of drinking in posttreatment alcoholics

• Published in: International journal of the addictions Vol. 26; no. 2; p. 237
• Main Authors: Glenn, S W, Parsons, O A
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: United States 01-01-1991
• Subjects: Adult; Alcohol Drinking - psychology; Alcoholics Anonymous; Alcoholism - psychology; Alcoholism - rehabilitation; Attention Deficit Disorder with Hyperactivity - complications; Attention Deficit Disorder with Hyperactivity - psychology; Depressive Disorder - complications; Depressive Disorder - psychology; Female; Follow-Up Studies; Hospitalization; Humans; Male; Neuropsychological Tests; Recurrence; Social Adjustment
• ISSN: 0020-773X
• DOI: 10.3109/10826089109053186

The ability of five factors (depressive symptomatology, neuropsychological performance, psychosocial maladjustment, previous treatment history, and childhood attention deficit disorder symptomatology) to predict relapse was examined in a follow-up experimental design. Fifty-eight male and 45 female alcoholics were interviewed immediately following release from inpatient treatment units. Fourteen months later, 41 subjects (41%) were classified as resumers; 62 (59%) were abstainers. Resumers showed significantly poorer scores than abstainers on all five of the predictor variables. Discriminant function analysis resulted in 75% correct classification of resumers and abstainers (chi 2 = 22.1, p less than .001). Stepwise multiple regression resulted in isolation of depressive symptomatology as the best single predictor of relapse.