Alcoholism Treatment

The Human Relations Area Files has announced the conclusions reached through a The key conclusion about Al-Anon (for twelve-month review of 134 studies bearing on relatives/friends of alcoholics) is: the effectiveness of Alcoholics A n o n y m o u s Members of Al-Anon who are married to men (A.A.) and counseling in the treatment of with drinking problems are better able to cope alcoholism. The effectiveness of these two approaches is a key issue, as more than 50 per than nonmembers with their husbands’ abusive cent of the 2 million people treated for alcoholism drinking and related problems. in the United States each year are involved in one or both of these types of programs. The key conclusions about counseling The key conclusions about Alcoholics are: Anonymous are: Although hard scientific evidence is lacking, the available evidence suggests that There is no scientific evidence that counseling is often an effective component of Alcoholics Anonymous is more effective than the alcoholism treatment program. other approaches used in alcoholism treatment. What evidence does exist suggests that A.A. is Recovered alcoholics are not more about as effective as most other approaches. effective counselors than nonalcoholics. The majority of people who turn to A.A. for help with their abusive drinking drop out of Counselors with extensive work or the program before they become meaningfully professional experience are not necessarily involved in it. In this regard, A.A. is much like more effective than those with limited other programs, which also suffer from high experience. dropout rates. Alcoholics Anonymous seems to be most Participation in a formal counselor effective when used for follow-up care by training program of ten increases a counselor’s persons who have recently completed an knowledge about alcoholism and sharpens his inpatient rehabilitation program. or her therapeutic skills. While Alcoholics Anonymous attracts a wide range of people from all walks of life, it is The review project was directed by David clear that A.A. works for only a minority of Levinson and resulted in the publication of A alcoholics. Unfortunately, research to date has Guide to Alcoholism Treatment Research: not yet identified the specific social and Volume III. Alcoholics Anonymous and psychological characteristics which distinguish Counseling. those people most likely to benefit from involvement in A.A.

Source: Society, July/August 1984.

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