NCJ Number
199735
Journal
Journal of Drug Issues Volume: 32 Issue: 4 Dated: Fall 2002 Pages: 1051-1070
Date Published
2002
Length
20 pages
Annotation
This article reports on a pilot study designed to investigate the effectiveness of motivational interviewing and relapse prevention treatment in reducing further instances of Driving While Intoxicated (DWI) for those persons with previous DWI arrests.
Abstract
In 1998, there was one alcohol-related traffic fatality every 33 minutes in the United States. Driving While Intoxicated is a serious national health problem that deserves the scrutiny of treatment professionals. In this pilot study, 25 people with arrests for DWI were treated with both motivational interviewing and relapse prevention in order to reduce the number of subsequent DWI instances for this population. Motivational interviewing is a technique designed to reduce reluctance toward treatment for substance-related risk-taking behavior such as DWI. This technique has not been previously applied to the DWI population. Relapse prevention is a self-control treatment program that utilizes behavioral skills training, cognitive intervention, and lifestyle changes. In the pilot study, the participants were first exposed to the motivational interview, followed by the relapse prevention program. Results revealed that the participants rated this type of treatment more favorably than standard treatment practices for DWI, showed greater coping skills, and exhibited greater improvement at the end of the 4-week treatment period than did clients of standard treatment practices. In conclusion, based on these promising results, the authors claim that controlled clinical trials of motivational interviewing combined with relapse prevention treatment are warranted to further study the effectiveness of this type of treatment program for DWI offenders. Tables, references