title: Posttreatment motivation and alcohol treatment outcome 9 months later: findings from structural equation modeling.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  To investigate the association between posttreatment motivation to change as measured by the Readiness to Change Questionnaire Treatment Version and drinking outcomes 9 months after the conclusion of treatment for alcohol problems.
  
  
  METHODS
  Data from 392 participants in the United Kingdom Alcohol Treatment Trial were used to fit structural equation models investigating relationships between motivation to change pre- and posttreatment and 5 outcomes 9 months later. The models included pathways through changes in drinking behavior during treatment and adjustment for sociodemographic information.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Greater posttreatment motivation (being in action vs. preaction) was associated with 3 times higher odds of the most stringent definition of positive outcome (being abstinent or entirely a nonproblem drinker) 9 months later (odds ratio = 3.10, 95% confidence interval [1.83, 5.25]). A smaller indirect effect of pretreatment motivation on this outcome was seen from pathways through drinking behavior during treatment and posttreatment motivation (probit coefficient = 0.08, 95% confidence interval [0.03, 0.14]). A similar pattern of results was seen for other outcomes evaluated.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Posttreatment motivation to change has hitherto been little studied and is identified here as a clearly important predictor of longer term treatment outcome.
authors.affiliation: London School of Hygiene & Tropical Medicine.
authors.forename: Sarah
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Cook
authors.affiliation: Department of Psychology, Faculty of Health and Life Sciences, Northumbria University.
authors.forename: Nick
authors.initials: N
authors.lastname: Heather
authors.affiliation: London School of Hygiene & Tropical Medicine.
authors.forename: Jim
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: McCambridge
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D000437:Alcoholism / Q000628:therapy*; D005260:Female; D005500:Follow-Up Studies; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D009042:Motivation; D011795:Surveys and Questionnaires; D016896:Treatment Outcome; D006113:United Kingdom