Achieving and maintaining gains among problem drinkers: Process and outcome results

Treatments focused on drinking moderation have had much success in reducing alcohol consumption among problem drinkers not physically dependent on alcohol, but little is known about the variables pertinent to the achievement and maintenance of these behavior changes. The influences of aftercare and the posttreatment use of drinking reduction strategies were studied in this investigation. Male and female problem drinkers first participated in an 8-week drinking reduction program and then were assigned randomly to six months of group afterace, telephone aftercare, or no aftercare. Also studied was a separately recruited no-treatment comparison group comprised of drinkers concerned about their alcohol consumption who were not seeking treatment and participated only in a data collection session and follow-up. Treated subjects significantly reduced their monthly heavy drinking days (64% reduction from pretreatment to the 12-month follow-up point), regardless of aftercare condition. Similar reductions were found for the no-treatment subjects who were only followed over time. Reductions in heavy drinking among the treated subjects were associated with the posttreatment utilization of drinking reduction techniques.