Hospital staff's perceptions of the alcoholic

Hospital staff's perceptions of the characteristics of alcoholics were investigated by means of a questionnaire containing a set of 23 semantic differential scales on which they rated four types of patient: "the Alcoholic," "the Nondrinker," "the Drug Addict," and "the Heavy Drinker." Factor analysis of the responses showed that types of patients were perceived in terms of three dimensions. Stability, Dangerousness, and Self-Assertiveness. In comparison with heavy drinkers, alcoholics were perceived by hospital staff in general as unstable, harmless, and self-effacing, though clerks tended to see them as more dangerous than did professionals. These perceptions are considered in relation to the respondent's own frequency of drinking. Finally, the explanation of these findings and their implications for clinical education and policy are discussed.