Determinants of recovery from alcohol problems in treated and untreated individuals in a Spanish sample

Authors

  • José Luis Carballo Grupo de Conductas Adictivas. Departamento de Psicología. Universidad de Oviedo Universidad de Oviedo. Becario FPI. Enviar correspondencia a: José Luis Carballo. Facultad de Psicología. Universidad de Oviedo. Plaza Feijoo s/n, 33003 Oviedo (Asturias). Teléfono: 98-5104189.
  • José Ramón Fernández-Hermida Grupo de Conductas Adictivas. Departamento de Psicología. Universidad de Oviedo. Universidad de Oviedo. Profesor titular.
  • Roberto Secades-Villa Grupo de Conductas Adictivas. Departamento de Psicología. Universidad de Oviedo. Universidad de Oviedo. Profesor titular.
  • Olaya García-Rodríguez Grupo de Conductas Adictivas. Departamento de Psicología. Universidad de Oviedo. Universidad de Barcelona. Profesora ayudante.

DOI:

https://doi.org/10.20882/adicciones.288

Keywords:

dependence, alcohol, abstinence, natural recovery, addiction

Abstract

This study compared the recovery process of two groups of alcohol abusers in Spain, one that had recovered with treatment and one that had recovered without treatment. Using advertisements and other recruitment strategies, 32 Spanish participants (16 treatment-seekers and 16 self-changers) were recruited, all of whom had had problems with alcohol consumption and had recovered 1 year or more previously. Participants were interviewed on a single occasion about their alcohol use history and recovery. Results showed that the two groups differed significantly in variables such as degree of dependence, type of recovery, and coping strategies used in the maintenance of recovery. As in previous research, pressure and support from the person’s family and social circle played an important role in recovery and maintenance, especially for the treatment-seekers. These results are highly similar to those found in studies with English-speaking populations.

References

American Psychiatric Association. (2000). Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders: DSM-IV-TR (Text Revision). Washington, DC: American Psychiatric Association.

Bedregal, L. E., Sobell, L. C., Sobell, M. B. y Simco, E. (2006). Psychometric characteristics of a Spanish version of the DAST-10 and the RAGS. Addictive Behaviors, 31, 309-319.

Bischof, G., Rumpf, H. J., Hapke, U., Meyer, C. y John, U.(2000). Maintenance factors of recovery from alcohol dependence in treated and untreated individuals. Alcoholism: Clinical and Experimental Research, 24, 1773-1777.

Bischof, G., Rumpf, H. J., Hapke, U., Meyer, C. y John, U.

(2002). Remission from alcohol dependence without help: how restrictive should our definition of treatment be? Journal of Studies on Alcohol, 63, 229-236.

Bischof, G., Rumpf, H. J., Meyer, C., Hapke, U. y John, U.(2005). Influence of psychiatric comorbidity in alcoholdependent subjects in a representative population survey on treatment utilization and natural recovery. Addiction, 100, 405-413.

Blomqvist, J. (1999). Treated and untreated recovery from alcohol misuse: environmental influences and perceived reasons for change. Substance Use & Misuse, 34, 1371-1406.

Canino, G., Bravo, M., Ramirez, R., Febo, V. E., Rubio-Stipec, M., Fernandez, R. L. y Hasin, D. (1999). The Spanish Alcohol Use Disorder and Associated Disabilities Interview Schedule (AUDADIS): reliability and concordance with clinical diagnoses in a Hispanic population. Journal on Studies of Alcohol, 60, 790-799.

Carballo, J. L., Fernández-Hermida, J. R., Secades-Villa, R., Sobell, L., Dum, M. y García-Rodríguez, O. (2007). Natural recovery from alcohol and drug problems: A methodological review of the literature from 1999 through 2005. In H. Klingemann y L. Sobell (Eds.), Promoting self-change from problem substance use: Practical implications for policy, prevention, and treatment. London: Springer Verlag.

Carballo, J. L., Fernández-Hermida, J. R., Sobell, L. C., Dum,

M., Secades-Villa, R., García-Rodríguez, O., Errasti-Pérez, J. M. y Al-Halabí Díaz, S. (2007). Differences among substance abusers in Spain who recovered with treatment or on their own. Addictive Behaviors, 33, 94-105.

Cunningham, J. A. (1999). Untreated remissions from drug use: the predominant pathway. Addictive Behaviors, 24, 267-270.

Curry, S. J., Grothaus, L. y McBride, C. (1997). Reasons for

quitting: intrinsic and extrinsic motivation for smoking cessation in a population-based sample of smokers. Addictive Behaviors, 22, 727-739.

Curry, S. J., Wagner, E. H. y Grothaus, L. C. (1990). Intrinsic

and extrinsic motivation for smoking cessation. Journal of Consulting and Clinical Psychology, 58, 310-316.

Curry, S. J., Wagner, E. H. y Grothaus, L. C. (1991). Evaluation

of intrinsic and extrinsic motivation interventions with a self-help smoking cessation program. Journal of Consulting and Clinical Psychology, 59.

Dawson, D. A., Grant, B. F., Stinson, F. S., Chou, P. S., Huang,

B. y Ruan, W. J. (2005). Recovery from DSM-IV alcohol dependence: United States, 2001-2002. Addiction, 100, 281-292.

Ellingstad, T. P., Sobell, L. C., Sobell, M. B., Eickleberry, L. y Golden, C. J. (2006). Self-change: A pathway to cannabis abuse resolution. Addictive Behaviors, 31, 519-530.

García González, R. y Alonso Suárez, M. (2002). Evaluación en programas de prevención de recaída: adaptación española del Inventario de Habilidades de Afrontamiento (CBI) de Litman en dependientes del alcohol. Adicciones, 14, 455-463.

Grant, B. F. (1997). Barriers to alcoholism treatment: Reasons

for not seeking treatment in a general population sample. Journal of Studies on Alcohol, 58, 365-371.

Hasin, D. y Grant, B. (1995). AA and other help seeking for

alcohol problems: Former drinkers in the U.S. general population. Journal of Substance Abuse, 7, 281-292.

Klingemann, H. y Sobell, L. C. (2007, in press). Promoting

self-change from addictive behaviors: Practical implications for policy, prevention, and treatment. New York: Springer.

Klingemann, H., Sobell, L. C., Barker, J., Blomqvist, J., Cloud, W., Ellingstad, T. P., Finfgeld, D. L., Granfield, R., Hodgins, D. C., Hunt, G., Junker, G., Moggi, F., Peele, S., Smart, R., Sobell, M. B. y Tucker, J. A. (2001). Promoting self-change from problem substance use: practical implications for policy, prevention and

treatment. Boston: Kluwer Academic Publishers.

Landa, N., Fernández-Montalvo, J., López-Goñi, J. J. y Lorea, I. (2006). Comorbilidad psicopatológica en el alcoholismo: un estudio descriptivo. International Journal of Clinical and Health Psychology, 6, 253-269.

Litman, G. K., Stapleton, J., Oppenheim, A. N. y Pele g, M.

(1983). An instrument for measuring coping behaviours in hospitalized alcoholics: implications for relapse prevention treatment. British Journal of Addiction, 78, 269-276.

López-Torrecillas, F., Verdejo, A., Muñoz-Rivas, M. J., Caballo,V. y Graña, J. L. (2005). Variables de personalidad que motivan hacia el tratamiento. Adicciones, 17, 315-324.

McCartney, J. (1996). A community study of natural change

across the addictions. Addiction Research, 4, 65-83.

Rumpf, H. J., Bischof, G., Hapke, U., Meyer, C. y John, U. (2002). The role of family and partnership in recovery from alcohol dependence: comparison of individuals remitting with and without formal help. European Addiction Research, 8, 122-127.

Sánchez Hervás, E. (2006). La investigación en el tratamiento

psicológico de las adicciones: en busca de la utilidad clínica. Adicciones, 18, 259-264.

Sarason, I. G., Johnson, J. H. y Siegel, J. M. (1978). Assessing the impact of life changes: development ofthe Life Experiences Survey. Journal of Consulting and Clinical Psychology, 46, 932-946.

Sobell, L. C., Cunningham, J. A. y Sobell, M. B. (1996). Recovery from alcohol problems with and without treatment: Prevalence in two population surveys. American Journal of Public Health, 86, 966-972.

Sobell, L. C., Ellingstad, T. P. y Sobell, M. B. (2000). Natural recovery from alcohol and drug problems: Methodological review of the research with suggestions for future directions. Addiction, 95, 749-764.

Sobell, L. C., Klingemann, H. K., Toneatto, T., Sobell, M. B., Agrawal, S. y Leo, G. I. (2001). Alcohol and drug abusers’ perceived reasons for self-change in Canada and Switzerland: computer-assisted content analysis. Substance Use & Misuse, 36, 1467-1500.

Sobell, L. C., Kwan, E. y Sobell, M. B. (1995). Reliability of a Drug History Questionnaire (DHQ). Addictive Behaviors, 20, 233-341.

Sobell, L. C., Sobell, M. B. y Toneatto, T. (1992). Recovery from alcohol problems without treatment. In N. Heather, W. R. Miller y J.Greeley (Eds.), Self-control and the Addictive Behaviours. New York: Maxwell MacMillan.

Sobell, L. C., Sobell, M. B., Toneatto, T. y Leo, G. I. (1993).

What triggers the resolution of alcohol problems without treatment. Alcohol ism: Cl inical and Experimental Research, 17, 217-224.

Toneatto, T., Sobell, L. C., Sobell, M. B. y Rubel, E. (1999).

Natural recovery from cocaine dependence. Psychology of Addictive Behaviors, 13, 259-268.

Tucker, J. A., Vuchinich, R. E. y Gladsjo, J. A. (1994). Environmental events surrounding natural recovery from alcohol-related problems. Journal of Studies on Alcohol, 55, 401-411.

Tucker, J. A., Vuchinich, R. E. y Rippens, P. D. (2002). Environmental contexts surrounding resolution of drinking problems among problem drinkers with different help-seeking experiences. Journal of Studies on Alcohol, 63, 334-341.

Tucker, J. A., Vuchinich, R. E. y Rippens, P. D. (2004). A factor

analytic study of influences on patterns of help-seeking among treated and untreated alcohol dependent persons. Journal of Substance Abuse Treatment, 26, 237-242.

World Health Organization. (1998). Mental Disorders in Primary Care. Geneva: World Health Organization.

Downloads

Published

2008-03-01

Issue

Vol. 20 No. 1 (2008)

Section

Originals