OUTCOMES FOR RECIDIVISTS IN NAVY ALCOHOL REHABILITATION PROGRAMS

• NCJ Number: 54209
• Author(s): D KOLB; E K E GUNDERSON; S F BUCKY
• Date Published: 1977
• Length: 5 pages
• Contract Number(s): MPN03 07-3012
• Sponsoring Agency: US Dept of the Navy
• Corporate Author: US Dept of the Navy
• Publication Format: Article
• Publication Type: Program/Project Evaluation
• Language: English
• Country: United States of America
• Note: REPRINTED FROM MILITARY MEDICINE, V 141, N 6 (JUNE 1977), P 435-437

Annotation

FOCUSING ON 2,159 ENLISTED MEN WHO WERE ADMITTED TO ALCOHOL REHABILITATION PROGRAMS FROM 1972 THROUGH MID-1974, THIS STUDY EVALUATES THE OUTCOME OF THE TREATMENT PROGRAMS USING MILITARY PERFORMANCE CRITERIA.

Abstract

SUBJECTS WERE DIVIDED INTO TWO GROUPS: MEN WITH A SINGLE ADMISSION TO A REHABILITATION PROGRAM, AND MEN WHO WERE READMITTED TO REHABILITATION FACILITIES (RECIDIVISTS). POST-TREATMENT EFFECTIVENESS WAS EVALUATED FOR BOTH GROUPS USING THE FOLLOWING MILITARY CRITERIA: LENGTH OF OF TIME ON ACTIVE DUTY, TYPE OF DISCHARGE, AND REENLISTMENT RECOMMENDATIONS. FINDINGS SUGGEST THAT ALCOHOL CAUSED MORE ADJUSTMENT PROBLEMS FOR RECIDIVISTS THAN FOR MEN WITH SINGLE ADMISSION. RECIDIVISTS REPORTED THAT ALCOHOL HELD THEM BACK FROM PROMOTION, AND THEY ACKNOWLEDGED MORE HEALTH PROBLEMS THAN SINGLE ADMISSION SUBJECTS. CONTROL OF DRINKING DURING TREATMENT AND READMISSION WAS A PROBLEM FOR RECIDIVISTS. HOWEVER, IT COULD NOT BE STATED THAT RECIDIVISTS DRANK MORE FOLLOWING RELEASE THAN DID SINGLE ADMISSION. A SECOND CHANCE FOR REHABILITATION WAS BENEFICIAL FOR 72 PERCENT OF RECIDIVISTS, ALTHOUGH THIS STUDY DID NOT DETERMINE WHICH RECIDIVISTS WOULD PERFORM EFFECTIVELY UPON THE SECOND RELEASE. OF THE VARIABLES RELATED TO EFFECTIVENESS FOR BOTH GROUPS, PAY GRADE AND PROGNOSTIC RATINGS WERE IMPORTANT PREDICTORS. TABLES, FOOTNOTES, AND REFERENCE NOTES ACCOMPANY THE TEXT. (WJR)