Alcohol-Related expectancies: Have they a role in the understanding and treatment of problem drinking?

This paper reviews the theoretical and empirical literature on the role of alcohol-related expectancies in problem drinking. It is shown that alcohol-related expectancies are involved in the initiation, maintenance and treatment of problem drinking. Given that alcohol-related expectancies can influence the consumption of alcohol, it is argued that any future theoretical model and applied treatment programme for problem drinkers must include the interplay among pharmacological, environmental and cognitive, in particular alcohol-related expectancies variables

A review of systematic and quantifiable methods of estimating the needs of a community for alcohol treatment services

The purpose of this paper was to review a variety of systematic and quantifiable methodologies for planning and evaluating the provision of alcohol treatment services for communities. These methods include: (a) developing and evaluating indicators of alcohol-related harm in and across defined geographic areas, to assess the relative need for services; (b) demand-oriented techniques that involve the prediction of future demand for services based on the previous utilisation of treatment facilities; (c) comprehensive systems approaches to planning services; and (d) the estimation of the prevalence of individuals who need or would benefit from an intervention Sor their alcohol problem. In practice, service planners may incorporate a combination of approaches that could be compared and contrasted to assess the convergent validity of results. These methodologies can also be used to provide information for planning and evaluating prevention/health promotion and early intervention initiatives. (C) 1998 Elsevier Science Inc

The Role of Alcohol‐dependent Self‐statements on Drinking Behaviour in a Public Bar

Recent literature suggests that cognitions play a role in drinking behaviour. However, disagreement exists regarding which type of cognition is associated with drinking. This study tested the prediction of a positive relationship between alcohol‐dependent self‐statements and alcohol consumption in a public bar. Ten heavy, 10 light, and 10 non‐drinkers were administered the modified Alcohol Self‐statements Questionnaire which contains sets of alcohol‐dependent and alcohol non‐dependent self‐statements as well as factual and emotive self‐statements. Their self‐talk during drinking zvas also tape‐recorded and analysed. Subjects were tested half an hour before, and immediately before the commencement of drinking, and at 10‐minute intervals for the first half‐hour of a normal drinking session in a public bar. Each session lasted approximately one hour. The results revealed that heavy drinkers showed more alcohol‐dependent self‐statements than light drinkers who in turn showed significantly more alcohol‐dependent self‐statements than non‐drinkers. No significant differences between the groups were found on the factual or emotive self‐statements. Alcohol consumption during the testing period was significantly related to alcohol‐dependent self‐statements. The result of findings suggest (i) that alcohol‐related cognitions are associated with drinking behaviour and are relatively stable during drinking sessions, and (H) that there is a need for greater specificity in the definition of cognition in relation to a problem behaviour, in this case drinking behaviour. Copyrigh

Factors associated with dropout in a group cognitive behaviour therapy for mood disorders

The high prevalence of premature attrition from psychotherapy is a phenomenon which has been well recognized in the psychological literature. The pressing concern that a number of clients may not be benefiting from treatment because they are dropping out has led to a plethora of research in the area of individual psychotherapy. No studies, however, have attempted to investigate the characteristics of dropout in group cognitive behaviour therapy for depression. To address this gap in research, the present study examined the factors associated with dropout in a group cognitive behaviour therapy for depression, using 131 Ss who went through the group therapy for 12 weeks. The results showed that sociodemographic measures (e.g. age) and measures of depressive symptoms (e.g. depression scores) did not discriminate dropouts from completers. An investigation of patterns of mood changes in the course of the therapy also failed to find significant differences between the dropouts and completers. However, weekly therapist rating of client participation revealed that dropouts participated significantly less than completers during the therapy sessions. The results are discussed in light of the findings of current literature and future research in premature attrition. (C) 1997 Elsevier Science Ltd

Exposure and response prevention in anxiety disorders: Implications for treatment and relapse prevention in problem drinkers

Exposure therapy has been successfully used in the treatment of a number of disorders - not the least of which are in the anxiety area, such as panic disorder with agoraphobia, obsessive-compulsive disorder, and simple phobias. More recently, these techniques have gained acceptance in the alcohol area, based on the assumption that the learning mechanisms behind both anxiety disorders and addictive drinking are similar in many ways. Promising evidence has been presented in the literature, but generally not adequately followed up, and studies have failed to concentrate on clinical trials. The procedure is thus still in its infancy with regard to the treatment of problem drinkers. The present article attempts to draw together the parallels between the anxiety and alcohol areas and discusses the potential utilisation of the technique in the alcohol field; further, it raises some key issues that need to be considered in the implementation of future research and treatment in the area

Cognitive changes following recovery from depression in a group cognitive-behaviour therapy program

Objective: We report on the changes in cognitions as a result of cognitive-behaviour therapy (CBT), in 35 recovered and 32 non-recovered mood disordered patients who had undergone a 12-week group CBT program for depression

Problem Gambling in Adults: An Overview

As many countries are legalizing gambling, more and more individuals are presenting for treatment of gambling problems. Similarly, more sophisticated theories and therapies are emerging for the prevention and alleviation of problems associated with gambling. With this explosion of information on gambling, there is now a need to comprehensively summarize the available information. Therefore, the intention of this paper is to provide a comprehensive overview of problem/ pathological gambling in adults, with extensive review of epidemiological, aetiological and treatment variables involved in the development, maintenance and recovery from gambling problems. There is enough evidence to suggest that gambling results from a complicated interaction of affective, cognitive, behavioural and physiological variables. Given this interaction, a melding of treatment approaches, such as cognitive-behavioural therapy (CBT), is advocated. Indeed, the available evidence supports the efficacy of CBT in the treatment of problems associated with gambling

Help-seeking behaviour in problem drinkers: A review

Help‐seeking behaviour in problem drinkers is still poorly understood. This paper summarizes the research conducted so far into alcohol related help–seeking, and attempts to integrate existing models of illness behaviours to help‐seeking behaviour in problem drinkers. A conceptualization of alcohol related help‐seeking behaviour is presented and empirical findings are reviewed. It was concluded that much of the research so far is exploratory in nature and the findings are still not easily related. Help‐seeking behaviour in problem drinkers still awaits further exploration and advancement

Attitudes toward smoking in 7- to 9-year-old children

This study reports the results of a survey on smoking of 214 children aged 7 to 9 years and 182 children aged 15 to 17 years. It was found that 27.1% of the younger group and 79.5% of the older group had tried to smoke a cigarette (even if just a few puffs). The frequency of continued smoking, as expected, was much greater for the older group, with 55.1% of older smokers compared to 0.9% of younger smokers having puffed during the last 4 weeks. The attitudes of subjects to smoking were generally negative although smokers' attitudes were more positive. The effects of parental smoking habits and attitudes on the subject's decision to smoke were considered and seen to be significant. The need for a health education program aimed at the young who have not established a smoking pattern is suggested