Patterns of Alcoholism over Four Years,
Abstract
The four-year study addressed a large number of research questions, including both methodological issues and substantive issues about the nature of alcoholism. This paper presents results from three of the principal study areas, comprising the most important findings of the research. The first area is the status of the cohort at four years: that is, the overall conditions of this group of alcoholics. This includes the types of drinking behavior found at the four-year point, certain developmental patterns of drinking behavior, and the extent of mortality between admission to treatment and the four-year followup. Second, this paper examines the overall social and psychological adjustment of the cohort, apart from drinking behavior itself. The four-year study collected a variety of psychosocial measurements to describe the subjects in terms of broad aspects of human functioning. The most important question here is one of rehabilitation: How much improvement in social characteristics can be observed at four years, compared to the debilitated conditions that were prevalent when these subjects were admitted to treatment? Third, this paper addresses patterns of relapse. The relapse process is highly relevant to both traditional and modern conceptions of alcoholism, and the four-year study expended considerable effort in studying it over time. The discussion here will describe the patterns that appeared at four years and the models that were used to predict conditions under which relapse occurs.
Document Details
- Document Type
- Technical Report
- Publication Date
- Jan 01, 1980
- Accession Number
- ADA095426
Entities
People
- David J. Armor
- Harriet B. Braiker
- J. Michael Polich
Organizations
- RAND Corporation