Anxiety, Depression and Coping Strategies in Recently Detoxified Alcoholics

Abstract

To investigate the relationships between the coping strategies used by recently detoxified alcoholics and anxiety as well as depression, 53 recently detoxified alcoholics completed a biographical questionnaire, the S-scale of the State-Trait Anxiety Inventory, the Beck Depression Inventory and the Coping Strategy Indicator. Of the 53 subjects, 72% experienced above average anxiety and depression was present in 77%. An avoidant coping strategy emerged as a significant positive predictor of both anxiety and depression. This indicates the ineffectiveness of an avoidant coping strategy for alcoholic patients. A problem-solving coping strategy emerged as a significant negative predictor of both anxiety and depression, which indicates the adaptive value of a problem-solving coping strategy. These findings suggest that training in problem-solving coping strategies, as opposed to avoidance, may improve the success rate of alcohol rehabilitation programs.