The interactive effects of effort to regulate alcohol use, anxiety disorders and affective disorders on long-term remission from alcohol dependence

Abstract

Objective: This study examined how effort to regulate alcohol use may interact with anxiety and affective disorders to influence long-term remission from alcohol dependence.Method: Using participants (n = 96; 73% male; 66% children of alcoholics; 71% non-Hispanic Caucasian; 26% Hispanic) from a high-risk community study who showed evidence of recovered alcohol dependence at baseline, this study examined whether effort to regulate alcohol use at the baseline assessment significantly influenced the likelihood of maintaining remission from alcohol dependence for a period of five years or more. This study also examined whether having an anxiety or affective disorder interacted with effort to regulate alcohol use. All analyses controlled for treatment history, baseline alcohol use, parent alcoholism, age and gender.Results: Results from logistic regressions showed that effort to regulate alcohol use had a significant unique main effect on long-term maintenance of remission from alcohol dependence. Having an affective and/or anxiety disorder did not have a significant main effect on the maintenance of remission. However, having an anxiety/affective disorder significantly moderated the influence of effort to regulate alcohol use such that the protective effect of effort to regulate use on remission from alcohol dependence was only significant for those without an affective or anxiety disorder.Conclusions: Individuals who try harder to limit their drinking are more likely to maintain long-term remission from alcohol dependence. However, affective and anxiety disorders may undermine the protective effect of effort to regulate alcohol use on long-term remission.