The effect of drinking goals at treatment entry on longitudinal alcohol use patterns among adults with alcohol dependence.

ABSTRACT:

Background

Drinking goals at treatment entry are a promising, yet under-studied mechanism of change in alcohol use following treatment. It is not known who, upon treatment entry, is likely to desire abstinence as a drinking goal and whether desiring abstinence as a drinking goal influences alcohol use following treatment.

Methods

Data from a 2.5-year longitudinal study of alcohol-dependent adults from 3 treatment sites is examined in a secondary data analysis. At treatment entry, participants reported sociodemographic and clinical characteristics, as well as whether they desired abstinence as a drinking goal or not. At each subsequent wave, participants reported their alcohol use.

Results

Bivariate analyses showed that individuals from a VA outpatient treatment site,

SUBMITTER: Mowbray O 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC3706529 | biostudies-literature | 2013 Sep

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature