Longitudinal changes in predictor profiles of abstinence from alcohol use among male veterans

We examined variations in predictors of abstinence depending on the timing of follow-up after alcohol treatment using data from 298 males who completed inpatient treatment at a Midwestern VA Alcoholism Treatment Unit. Our findings indicate fluidity of abstinence and relapse across subjects in the 12 months posttreatment. We also found substantial shifts in the salience of predictors even across short periods of continued abstinence. Methodologically, these findings demonstrate the importance of multiple and closely spaced follow-up points in outcomes research. Substantively, our data support previous findings concerning the impact of increased medical severity, positive employment history, and depression on treatment outcomes.