MOTIVATIONAL STRUCTURE OF ALCOHOLIC AND NONALCOHOLIC CZECH MEN

This investigation examined the motivational structures of 26 patients diagnosed with alcoholism in comparison to 30 demographically similar technical university students. Responding to the Motivational Structu re Questionnaire, the clinical group listed 40% fewer goals, responded as if they needed richer incentives to form strong commitments to goa l striving, displayed marginally less average commitment to their goal s, and, after other variables were partialled out, expressed less abil ity to influence the course of goal attainment. There were no differen ces in their scores on over-all subjective probability of success, the time frame for goal attainment, and their relative scores on anticipa ted positive and negative emotions and ambivalence. The results sugges t group differences in the effects of brain-reward mechanisms.