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Article
Alcoholics Treated by Individualized Behavior Therapy: One Year Treatment Outcome
Behaviour Research and Therapy
  • Mark B. Sobell, Nova Southeastern University
  • Linda C. Sobell, Nova Southeastern University
Document Type
Article
Publication Date
11-1-1973
Disciplines
Abstract/Excerpt

One-year treatment outcome results are reported for 70 male alcoholics who, while hospitalized at Patton State Hospital, served as subjects in an experiment evaluating ‘Individualized Behavior Therapy (IBT)’ techniques. Initially, subjects had been assigned to a controlled drinking or non-drinking (abstinence) treatment goal, and then were randomly assigned to either an experimental group receiving IBT or a control group receiving conventional state hospital treatment. One year follow-up results demonstrated that IBT treated subjects had functioned significantly better than control subjects. Dependent variable measures included daily drinking disposition, general emotional adjustment, vocational satisfaction, occupational status, driving status and an index of residential status and stability. The results support the view that some ‘alcoholics’ can acquire and maintain controlled drinking behavior over at least a 1-yr follow-up interval. The difficulties of designing and applying sophisticated follow-up procedures and measures are discussed.

DOI
10.1016/0005-7967(73)90118-6
Comments

This work was supported, in part, by Public Health Service Grants 1 RO1 MH 16547 and 1 R18 MH 23169. Portions of this paper, using preliminary data, were presented at the 80th Annual Meeting of the American Psychological Association in Honolulu, Hawaii in 1972. The authors express appreciation to Fred Samuels, Natalie Olsen, Robert Akamine and the numerous individuals and agencies who provided follow-up information.

Citation Information
Mark B. Sobell and Linda C. Sobell. "Alcoholics Treated by Individualized Behavior Therapy: One Year Treatment Outcome" Behaviour Research and Therapy Vol. 11 Iss. 4 (1973) p. 599 - 618 ISSN: 0005-7967
Available at: http://works.bepress.com/linda-sobell/34/