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Recidivism in "controlled drinker" alcoholics: a longitudinal study.

C G Watson

    Journal of Clinical Psychology
    |May 1, 1987
    PubMed
    Summary
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    This study on treated alcoholics found that neither complete abstinence nor controlled drinking was consistently maintained long-term. Findings challenge both extreme positions on alcohol recovery and relapse.

    Area of Science:

    • Addiction research
    • Clinical psychology
    • Public health

    Background:

    • Conflicting theories exist regarding alcoholics' ability to maintain controlled drinking versus inevitable relapse.
    • Previous research has not definitively supported either the abstinence-only or controlled drinking models for long-term recovery.

    Purpose of the Study:

    • To evaluate the long-term drinking control capabilities of treated alcoholics.
    • To test the validity of the "controlled drinking" model against the "inevitable relapse" hypothesis.

    Main Methods:

    • Follow-up ratings (3, 6, 9, 12 months) were obtained for 42 treated alcoholics initially identified as controlled drinkers.
    • Subjects were categorized based on their drinking status: abstinent, controlled, uncontrolled, or institutionalized.

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    Main Results:

    • No subject maintained complete control for more than two consecutive trimesters.
    • Between 25% and 50% were abstinent or controlled at each follow-up.
    • 21% to 37% were uncontrolled or institutionalized at various follow-ups.
    • At final follow-ups, 47% were abstinent/controlled, and 36% were uncontrolled/institutionalized.

    Conclusions:

    • Findings do not strongly support either the strict abstinence or the sustained controlled drinking positions.
    • The study suggests a more nuanced understanding of recovery is needed, moving beyond dichotomous models.
    • Controlled drinking, while not universally sustained, appears viable for a significant portion of treated alcoholics in the short to medium term.