The key relative's impact on treatment and course of alcoholism

One hundred alcoholics participated in a 6-week inpatient and a 6-week outpatient therapy programme and a 6-month and 18-month follow-up. Major goals of the study were a descriptive analysis of the course of illness over time, the evaluation of the effects of therapy in general and concerning the specific effects of additional (A) systematic inclusion of the key relative versus (B) systematic involvement in self-help, and identification of predictors for relapse. While therapy as such was quite effective and resulted in significant changes in symptomatology and the scores on personality scales, the additional involvement of the key relative showed no substantial additional treatment effects. Partnership interactions showed a deterioration during therapy, with temporary increased frictions. Based on conservative calculations, 40% of all patients remained abstinent until the 6-month follow-up and 30% until the 18-month follow-up.