Cognitive impairment and treatment outcome with alcoholics: preliminary findings

The relationship of cognitive impairment to treatment outcome in a sample of male alcoholics (N = 30) was explored. The Brain-Age Quotient (BAQ), an index of problem solving and adaptive abilities based on a battery of neuropsychological tests, was used as the summary measure of cognitive impairment. High BAQ scores were found to be more highly related to clinical ratings of patients' level of functioning on the treatment ward, to the successful completion of inpatient treatment, and to fewer relapses, longer abstinence periods, and lower rates of alcohol consumption at a 1 year follow-up than were lower BAQ scores. The implications of these findings with regard to appropriate treatment planning are discussed.