ABSTRACT

This chapter informs the reader of some of the bottom lines that have emerged from the wealth of research conducted on outcome. Before consideration of treatment outcome findings, a discussion of the those features that distinguish the population of alcoholics who seek treatment from those who do not is presented. The first half of the chapter concerns itself with the general question of “Does it work?” The discussion of efficacy of treatment is approached from several different angles. Those studies in which advice is compared with extensive treatment are considered. Reviews of the outcome literature have provided estimates of the percentage of abstainers, control drinkers, and those who are definitely unimproved several years subsequent to treatment. By contrasting these percentages post treatment as compared to these same outcome categories among untreated samples of alcoholics, it becomes possible to generate conclusions about whether treatment works.