Male Alcoholics: Treatment Outcome as a Function of Length of Treatment and Level of Current Adaptive Abilities

Pilot data have provided tentative evidence that the degree of cognitive impairment may be a meaningful classificatory variable with respect to subsequent outcome. The purpose of the proposed study is to examine the differential effectiveness of short- and long-term intensive therapy for alcoholic subtypes defined by different levels of current problem-solving abilities. Subjects will be male alcoholic veterans participating in an inpatient treatment program at the Seattle Veterans Adminis tration Hospital. Patients volunteering to participate in thepresent study will initially be administered a neuropsychological test battery including the Wechsler Adult Intelligence Scale and tests from the Halstead battery. Scores from these tests will be used to determine the individuals' Brain-Age Quotient (BAQ), a measure of current adaptive abilities developed by Reitan. Measures of personality traits, psychosocial functioning, and drinking-related behavior will be collected on admission and at three-, six, and nine-month follow-up periods. Based on the antici pated findings of the present study, the length of the treatment program may be tailored to meet the specific needs, defined in terms of current adaptive abilities, of the individual client. Such a program would appear to maximize both the probabihty of a successful treatment outcome and mini mize unnecessary expenses.