Brief family therapy with alcohol-dependent men in Trinidad and Tobago

This study--the first of its kind in the English-speaking Caribbean--investigated the efficacy of modified brief family therapy in the treatment of alcoholism. Thirty men were treated with family therapy and milieu therapy and compared with 30 sex- and age-matched patients treated with milieu therapy alone. Follow-up over a period of 1 year showed significant levels of improvement in those treated with family therapy. The treatment group did not revert to their original drinking pattern. This can be attributed to family therapy. Family therapy was brief and involved seeing all significant members for 3 sessions, each session lasting 90 min. The role of family therapy and importance of culture in management of these patients are discussed. Our study confirms that a time-limited problem-solving family therapy approach is of use in these ethnic groups.