Overall functioning and criteria of progress in rehabilitation of alcohol abusers: longitudinal analyses of changes

The aim was to compare alcohol consumption and vocational adjustment as criteria of rehabilitation progress of alcoholics, with regard to links to concomitant changes in functioning in other life areas. Thirty-four advanced alcohol abusers in rehabilitation were examined twice with an interval of 2 years between each examination. Change scores in alcohol consumption and work capacity were correlated with change scores in social network, activities, life-satisfaction, psychological well-being, psychiatric symptoms, and biomedical functioning. Improved drinking habits were connected with some changes in overall functioning, however not solely in a favorable direction. Negative mood changes were especially noteworthy. Improvements in vocational adjustment, on the other hand, appeared to be somewhat more unequivocally and encompassingly associated with amelioration in the wider range of functioning. The results indicate that drinking measures alone are not sufficient indicators of progress in rehabilitation and underscores the need of more global criteria of general adjustment.