[Behavioral therapeutic methods in ambulatory treatment of alcoholism. Early results of an experimental study].
Outpatient alcoholism treatment programs are widespread especially in the United States and in Great Britain. However, there still exist only a few experimental studies investigating the numerous questions arising from this field. In this still ongoing project 120 patients were randomly assigned to 3 different outpatient group therapy programs: unspecific supportive therapy and 2 forms of behavioural therapy--coping skills training [17] and cognitive therapy according to Beck [2]. The main hypotheses to be tested are that both forms of behavioural therapy will prove superior to supportive treatment and that patients with a comorbidity of personality disorders will profit in a different way from these differentiated intervention strategies. Treatment lasted 6 months; first results obtained after the termination of this period demonstrate the feasibility of the study design; patients undergoing behavioural therapy showed good compliance with few drop-outs and significantly higher rates of abstinence compared with supportive therapy. 60% of the patients suffer from a concomitant personality disorder (mostly of the dependent, insecure, and masochistic type). Nevertheless, statistically significant differences between the 2 behavioural therapy techniques could not be established; a positive correlation between personality disorders and relapse or attrition could be confirmed only for relapses occurring within the first 3 months of treatment.
Rheinische Kliniken, Psychiatrische Klinik der Heinrich-Heine-Universität Düsseldorf. burtsche@uni-duesseldorf.de
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Burtscheidt
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Schwarz
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Redner
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Gaebel
D000223:Adaptation, Psychological; D000328:Adult; D000437:Alcoholism / Q000523:psychology / Q000628:therapy*; D000553:Ambulatory Care; D001521:Behavior Therapy; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D010352:Patient Dropouts; D010554:Personality Disorders / Q000150:complications; D011569:Psychiatric Status Rating Scales
Verhaltenstherapeutische Verfahren in der ambulanten Behandlung von Alkoholabhängigen. Erste Ergebnisse einer experimentellen Untersuchung.