ALCOHOLICS BELIEFS ABOUT RESPONSIBILITY FOR, AND RECOVERY FROM, THEIRCONDITION

A study was carried out with a sample of in-patients and out-patients in an alcohol treatment programme examining beliefs about where respon sibility lay for their condition and recovery from it. Brickman et al. [1] proposed a framework for understanding these beliefs consisting o f four 'models'. In each model responsibility for causing the problem and for resolving it is considered either to lie with the individual o r with other factors. The results indicated that the alcoholics' belie fs could not readily be understood in terms of this framework. As rega rds the cause of their condition, belief in the role of luck, personal responsibility and acceptance of a disease model emerged as independe nt factors. With regard to responsibility for recovery, belief in pers onal responsibility, the value of treatment and support and the import ance of motivation emerged as separate factors. Belief in personal res ponsibility for causing the problem was significantly associated with acceptance of responsibility for recovery. Adoption of a disease model was negatively associated with belief in the importance of motivation in recovery. Treatment satisfaction was positively correlated with be lief in the importance of treatment and support but not other dimensio ns. Younger patients tended to accept a lower level of personal respon sibility for their condition. The results indicate the alcoholics tend to adopt quite specific beliefs about their condition and that satisf action with a particular treatment regimen is related to belief in the value of treatment rather than any particular model concerning where responsibility for their condition and recovery from it lies.