Predictors of drinking and functional outcomes for men and women following inpatient alcohol treatment

BACKGROUND AND OBJECTIVES: This prospective study uses path analytic models to examine baseline characteristics associated with both functioning and drinking outcomes 12 months after inpatient alcohol treatment. METHODS: Alcohol-dependent participants (N = 101) were recruited during inpatient alcohol treatment and assessed monthly 1 year after discharge. RESULTS: Alcohol severity was negatively associated with education and self-efficacy; marital status was positively associated with self-efficacy; and education and self-efficacy were negatively associated with drinking outcomes. Low alcohol severity, not having a depression diagnosis, and being married were associated with less social support impairment, which was in turn associated with better drinking outcomes. Having a history of sexual abuse did not influence drinking outcomes. However, having a history of sexual abuse was negatively associated with global functioning. CONCLUSIONS AND SCIENTIFIC SIGNIFICANCE: Drinking outcomes were associated with education, self-efficacy, social support, and diagnosis of depression at baseline; however, global functioning 1 year following treatment was primarily and negatively associated with sexual abuse history. Future treatment research should include measures of both functioning and drinking behavior outcomes. (Am J Addict 2014;23:226-233). Language: en