THE KEY RELATIVES IMPACT ON TREATMENT AND COURSE OF ALCOHOLISM

One hundred alcoholics participated in a 6-week inpatient and a 6-week outpatient therapy programme and a 6-month and 18-month follow-up. Ma jor goals of the study were a descriptive analysis of the course of il lness over time, the evaluation of the effects of therapy in general a nd concerning the specific effects of additional (A) systematic inclus ion of the key relative versus (B) systematic involvement in self-help , and identification of predictors for relapse. While therapy as such was quite effective and resulted in significant changes in symptomatol ogy and the scores on personality scales, the additional involvement o f the key relative showed no substantial additional treatment effects. Partnership interactions showed a deterioration during therapy, with temporary increased frictions. Based on conservative calculations, 40% of all patients remained abstinent until the 6-month follow-up and 30 % until the 18-month follow-up.