Related Experiment Videos
Family-involved alcoholism treatment. An update
T J O'Farrell1, W Fals-Stewart
1Harvard Families and Addiction Program, Harvard Medical School Department of Psychiatry, Veterans Affairs Medical Center, Brockton, Massachusetts 02301, USA.
Recent Developments in Alcoholism : an Official Publication of the American Medical Society on Alcoholism, the Research Society on Alcoholism, and the National Council on Alcoholism
|July 14, 2001
Summary
Family involvement in addiction treatment significantly improves alcohol use, attendance, and family well-being. Specific interventions show promise for both reluctant and willing individuals, highlighting the importance of family support in recovery.
Area of Science:
- Addiction Medicine
- Clinical Psychology
- Family Therapy
Background:
- Family involvement is increasingly recognized as crucial in addiction treatment.
- Understanding the efficacy of various family-involved approaches is essential for improving patient outcomes.
Purpose of the Study:
- To systematically review and meta-analyze randomized studies on family-involved addiction treatments.
- To evaluate the effectiveness of different family interventions for individuals with alcohol use disorders.
Main Methods:
- A meta-analysis of 36 randomized controlled trials comparing family-involved treatments with control conditions.
- Inclusion of studies focusing on family members of individuals unwilling to seek help and those already in treatment.
Main Results:
- Family-involved treatments demonstrated a medium effect size favoring improved alcohol use, treatment entry/attendance, and family adjustment.
- Al-Anon facilitation aided family coping; Community Reinforcement and Family Training promoted treatment entry.
- Behavioral Couples Therapy (BCT) showed growing evidence, with disulfiram contracts recommended as part of BCT.
Conclusions:
- Family-involved treatments are effective for improving outcomes in alcohol use disorders.
- Specific interventions like Community Reinforcement and Family Training and BCT show significant promise.
- Future research should broaden inclusivity to women, minorities, and children.