NCJ Number
59142
Date Published
1978
Length
24 pages
Annotation
RESULTS OF TWO STUDIES DESIGNED TO ASSESS EFFECTS OF SHORT TERM TREATMENT ON ALCOHOL-RELATED BEHAVIOR AMONG PEOPLE CONVICTED OF DRIVING WHILE INTOXICATED (DWI) ARE DISCUSSED IN RELATION TO OTHER STUDIES.
Abstract
THE STUDIES TRIED TO MEASURE EFFECTS OF THE PHOENIX, ARIZ. ALCOHOL SAFETY ACTION PROJECT (ASAP) EFFECTS ON NONDRIVING BEHAVIOR, BECAUSE PREVIOUS STUDIES HAD SHOWED THAT THE PROGRAM HAD NO SIGNIFICANT EFFECTS ON REARRESTS FOR DRIVING WHILE INTOXICATED. THE INVESTIGATORS HYPOTHESIZED THAT RECIDIVISM ANALYSIS WAS TOO INSENSITIVE TO DETECT ACTUAL DIFFERENCES BETWEEN TREATMENT AND COMPARISON GROUPS. THE PRESENT STUDIES USED SUCH MEASURES AS THE LIFE ACTIVITIES INTERVIEW, THE PERSONALITY ASSESSMENT SCALE, AND THE CURRENT STATUS QUESTIONNAIRE. DATA COLLECTED COVERED SUCH FACTORS AS EMPLOYMENT, HEALTH, FAMILY STATUS, AND SOCIAL INTERACTION. BASELINE DATA WAS COLLECTED ON 351 PEOPLE IN ONE STUDY AND ON 436 IN THE OTHER. SIX AND 12 MONTH FOLLOWUPS WERE CONDUCTED, WITH OVER 50 AND 25 PERCENT SAMPLE ATTRITION. BOTH STUDIES PRODUCED NEUTRAL OR NEGATIVE RESULTS WITH RESPECT TO TREATMENT PROGRAM EFFECTIVENESS. THESE FINDINGS CONCURRED WITH OTHER STUDIES' CONCLUSIONS THAT DIFFERENT TREATMENTS HAVE LITTLE OR NO DIFERENTIAL EFFECTS ON SUBSEQUENT DRINKING BEHAVIOR. IT WAS THEREFORE RECOMMENDED THAT BOTH THE CONTENT AND THE DELIVERY OF DWI REHABILITATION PROGRAMS BE CHANGED. SHORT TERM REHABILITATION APPEARED TO AFFECT ONLY LIGHT SOCIAL DRINKERS; PROBLEM DRINKERS AND ALCOHOLICS NEEDED MORE INTENSIVE AND LONGER TREATMENT. PHOENIX OFFICIALS' PLANS TO RENEW THEIR PRESENT PROGRAM ARE THEREFORE UNFORTUNATE. FINALLY, BETTER MEASURES OF BEHAVIORAL CHANGE ARE NEEDED TO IMPROVE FUTURE EVALUATIONS OF DWI PROGRAM EFFECTIVENESS. FIGURES AND REFERENCE NOTES ARE INCLUDED. (CFW)