Abstract
Alcoholics' level of autonomy was hypothesized to have a moderating effect on the relationship between changes in family functioning and subsequent drinking behavior. Functioning of families of patients in outpatient alcoholism treatment was assessed prior to the onset of treatment and again 6 months later. For alcoholics who were low in autonomy, perceptions of improvements in functioning predicted better drinking outcomes during a subsequent 6-month follow-up, while changes in family functioning were unrelated to drinking behavior in high autonomy alcoholics. The areas of family functioning in which change was a significant predictor of later drinking primarily concerned the quality of interactions between family members. Alcoholics' gender, psychiatric comorbidity, and the type of treatment they received did not moderate the relationship between changes in family functioning and drinking outcomes. Implications for the treatment of alcoholic patients and the limitations of the research are discussed.
Sign-in/Register to access full text options 
Talk to us
Join us for a 30 min session where you can share your feedback and ask us any queries you have
Schedule a callDisclaimer: All third-party content on this website/platform is and will remain the property of their respective owners and is provided on "as is" basis without any warranties, express or implied. Use of third-party content does not indicate any affiliation, sponsorship with or endorsement by them. Any references to third-party content is to identify the corresponding services and shall be considered fair use under The CopyrightLaw.
