ARE DISEASE AND OTHER CONCEPTIONS OF ALCOHOL-ABUSE RELATED TO BELIEFSABOUT OUTCOME AND RECOVERY

Visitors to a science center (N = 189) responded to a questionnaire me asuring their agreement with different conceptions of alcohol abuse (d isease, sin, habit, and addiction conceptions) and their beliefs regar ding treatment for alcohol abusers. Respondents who agreed with a dise ase concept thought alcohol abuse was a more serious problem, were mor e skeptical of statements about recovery, acid were more likely to fee l that treatment was necessary to achieve change, compared to those wh o disagreed with or were neutral toward the disease concept. Agreement with the sin, habit, and addiction conceptions was not related to bel iefs about treatment and outcome. The utility of promoting various con ceptualizations of alcohol abuse is discussed.