title: The alcohol paradox: a psychological model.
abstract: The paradoxical continuation of excessive drinking by chronic alcoholics despite extremely aversive personal deterioration is addressed by a two-factor theory. The theory regards the increasing stereotypy of alcohol-related behaviors as a function of: (a) primary neuropsychological impairments that result from alcohol abuse and (b) secondary fears of catastrophic failure attendant upon brain dysfunction, which leads to acquired aversions to situations that require adaptive behaviors. A schematic quantitative model of this formulation is presented that may be useful to practicing psychologists in explaining perserverative behavior in a variety of brain syndromes.
authors.affiliation: Joint Doctoral Program in Clinical Psychology, San Diego State University, CA 92120-4913, USA.
authors.forename: G
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Rosenbaum
mesh_terms: D000223:Adaptation, Psychological; D000428:Alcohol Drinking / Q000009:adverse effects* / Q000523:psychology; D000437:Alcoholism / Q000523:psychology* / Q000534:rehabilitation; D006801:Humans; D009042:Motivation; D009483:Neuropsychological Tests; D013239:Stereotyped Behavior; D019966:Substance-Related Disorders / Q000523:psychology / Q000534:rehabilitation