This is a report of an investigation assessing outcome in a consecutive series of alcohol dependent patients admitted to the Avalon Treatment Centre from 21 October 1985 to 14 April 1986. Although extensive work has been done on the epidemiology of alcoholism among "coloured" people * [classified in terms of the population registration Act]. A direct result of the original field survey by Gillis, Keet and Slabbert was the establishment of this centre. A follow up study of people identified as having drinking problems in the original field survey showed that few people stopped drinking on their own account. Little is known about treatment outcome of patients hospitalized at this centre. Treatment at The Avalon Treatment Centre is based on therapeutic community principles, group therapy, family and social case work as well as the use of antabuse. Contact with Alcoholics Anonymous is encouraged during and after hospitalisation. In addition patients are also followed up by a community sister.

The Alcohol Safety Action Program (ASAP), in accordance with its goals and directives, determined, in 1980, the need for an evaluation of its services. In response to that need, the present study was conducted between April and October, 1980. The initial step in this evaluation is a review of the relevant literature. The review includes literature in the areas of: treatment evaluation methodology, follow-up studies of alcohol treatment, and management of drunken drivers. In addition, the history and current organization of the Portland ASAP are discussed. The study employs a one group pretest-posttest design and utilizes the Oregon Quality of Life Questionnaire. A comprehensive description of study methodology is followed by discussion of study findings and implications for practice. Finally, with the intent of providing direction for future study, the methodology of the present study is critiqued.

Social connectedness, learned helplessness, and alienation characteristics as related to graduate/dropout behavior for residents in alcohol abuse programs. Purpose The purpose of the study was to determine the extent to which a set of predictor variables would discriminate between a group who successfully completed an alcohol substance abusers program from the group who failed i.e. (relapsed) to complete the program. The predictor variables were cognitive and affective measures for social connectedness, learned helplessness, and alienation characteristics. A preliminary step compared the total sample to the norm groups from the FIRO-B and the MMPI. Sample and Measurements Sixty-three subjects from two intermediate treatment groups from San Joaquin County (CA.) programs were selected as the sample group. Three months sobriety post treatment was selected as the successful completion criterion. The FIROB measured social connectedness, the MMPI measured alcohol addiction, alienation characteristics, and defensive response set. The ASQ was employed to measure "learned helplessness". Findings One sample t-test disclosed deviance between the sample group and the norm group for five of six scales of social connectedness. The respondents reported less need for inclusion and affection and more "control wanted" than the norm group on indicators from the FIRO-B. The sample also indicated greater addiction (MAC scale), "defensiveness" (validity scales), and alienation characteristics (Pd. clinical scale and Pd. research scales) from the MMPI. The sample group endorsed more familial discord, authority problems, social imperturbability, social alienation, and self-alienation. Three MMPI measures, the MacAndrew Alcoholism scale, the K scale (defensiveness), and the self-alienation research scale reliably differentiated graduates from dropouts using the t-test for independent means. The highest correlations between variables were indicated for alienation characteristics and defensiveness as indicated by the validity scales. A multiple regression analysis disclosed that addiction (MacAndrew Alcoholism Scale) correlated r = .34 with graduate status. Conclusions Within this sample those variables most predictive of at risk behavior (relapse potential) were addiction, defensiveness, and self-alienation characteristics. The graduate means were more aberrant than the dropouts in each of these categories.

No description available.

Alcoholism is a serious public health problem. There is strong evidence that the rate of alcoholism, especially among women is increasing. Until recently, there has been very little research on alcoholic women. The recent increase in the number of known female alcoholics may be related to the new liberation and freedoms women have gained. While the research literature does not support the notion of a typical female alcoholic personality type, certain recurrent characteristics have been noted. This paper attempts to document the problems which appear to be related to women who become alcoholics and to look at the variety of treatment programs currently available for the female alcoholic.

The subjects were DUI probationers placed by the court system in the Virginia Alcohol Safety Action Program (VASAP). Due to their high risk level, the subjects were placed in treatment programs. An exercise program was incorporated in a VASAP treatment program to investigate the reduction in alcohol drinking frequency and quantity by implementing a weekly questionnaire as a repeated measure in an experimental vs. a control group design. Within these same groups, depression was measured through a pre-post design using the Beck Depression Inventory as a psychometric measure. The two arms of the study were evaluated by weekly ordinal data analyzed using a repeated measure ANOVA and a pre-post design using a 2x2 table with the appropriate ANOVA at a .05 level of significance. The results indicated no significant difference between the groups. There experimental group established a reduction in alcohol consumption and depression at a faster rate than the control group. / Master of Science

Recovery from alcoholism and substance abuse has had an ignominious history. There does not appear to be any statistics that stand up to any rigorous fact-checking which show how well treatment centers do at helping their clients to stay sober. Statistics that are used to show success rates are not considered credible and they are shockingly low. Despite these issues, substance abuse research has failed to link the historical knowledge of why people stay sober for long periods of time with what is being taught in treatment centers in hopes of creating a better, more accurate outcome. The qualitative, phenomenological research study was conducted to ascertain whether a treatment center was teaching the curriculum components that prior research studies had found allowed an addict or alcoholic to stay sober for 20 plus years. Twelve volunteer participants (i.e., nine clients and three counselors), at a treatment center located in Southeast Florida, were interviewe d regarding their perceptions of the curricula being taught in the treatment center. Patterns emerged with the clients regarding their perceptions of spirituality and 12-step programs, believing that spirituality and 12-step programs were significantly emphasized in treatment and that they were very important to their recovery when they left treatment. Counselors agreed with this finding, but felt stronger about the importance of family and social support than did the clients. Overall, the clients felt that what was emphasized in treatment was important to their recovery and intended to use their new knowledge in helping them stay sober. Implications for treatment centers and recommendations for future studies are discussed. / Includes bibliography. / Dissertation (Ph.D.)--Florida Atlantic University, 2015. / FAU Electronic Theses and Dissertations Collection

The purpose of this study was to gather insights from recovering (from addictions) Adult Children of Alcoholics (ACA) at Pathway to Recovery, Inc., Indianapolis, IN, who have participated in a pilot family addictions treatment group. This research gives evidence on the group counseling support that ACA group members reported they received and/or determined they needed to receive regarding: their (1) addictions and recovery; (2) specific family of origin roles; and (3) basic ACA issues; as well as information needed to continue living a healthy, productive, drug-free life-style, and; the assistance counselors/therapists could give in this endeavor.A case study methodology was used for this research. Eight informants were purposively selected from a total of 45 ACA group members. Three interviews were conducted with each of the eight informants. Retrospective, structured, and semi-structured interviews, as described by Fraenkel and Wallen (1996) were utilized. Since an interview guide was unavailable for use in this study, one was created.The following four conclusions were drawn from the results of this study:1. The evidence collected suggests that the eight informants benefited from the three-pronged (addictions, ACA issues, specific family role) Recovery, Inc.2. The evidence (detailed in Chapter Four) indicated that many of the actions described herein assisted informants after leaving the ACA group and that the group was responsible for many of the positive changes.3. Accepting oneself was identified most often as the step needed to achieve and maintain sobriety.4. Learning about family issues and studying childhood behaviors may be painful as well as helpful.Results of this study were not generalized beyond these eight informants. However, this study contributed new information to the field of addictions and family roles research by describing the actions, behaviors, thoughts and feelings of these eight informants. / Department of Educational Leadership

The focus of this treatise is to explore the attitudes and perceptions of university students towards binge drinking at a South African University. Binge drinking among university students is a serious concern, prevalent on many campuses and ingrained on university campuses worldwide. The aims of this study were (a) to describe students’ understanding of binge drinking, (b) to explore and describe university students’ attitudes towards and perceptions of binge drinking, and (c) to explore the contextual factors relating to binge drinking within a university setting. An exploratory, qualitative approach was utilized. The collection of data was initiated using a biographical questionnaire to identify participants relevant to the study. The data collection process continued with semi‐structured focus group interviews. Data was collected by conducting four focus group sessions with two separate groups of students between the ages of 18 and 25 and residing on a university campus. Data analysis was conducted in accordance with the principles and guidelines of Tesch’s (as cited in Creswell, 1994) eight steps in qualitative data analysis. The results of this study indicate the following: there is lack of knowledge and understanding of binge drinking, students have positive perceptions of binge drinking and there is a perception that the university environment promotes binge drinking. In order to address binge drinking, strategies need to be implemented in the student, family, university and community context.

No description available.