Conjoint approaches to alcoholism treatment are associated with better treatment retention, compliance, and improved relationship and drinking outcomes after treatment. However, relapses are a concern, and models to prevent relapses after couples alcoholism treatment are not well developed. This study tests the effectiveness of two alternative maintenance models: Alcoholics Anonymous and Relapse Prevention, both integrated with a standardized outpatient conjoint treatment model utilizing behavioral techniques. The current grant supports two years of funding to analyze data from a completed randomized clinical trial comparing the effectiveness of three outpatient treatments: Alcohol- related Behavioral Marital Therapy (ABMT), ABMT plus Relapse Prevention, and ABMT plus Alcoholics Anonymous. Treatment and data collection for all subjects is complete, and the current grant will support completion of data preparation and data analyses. Specific questions to be addressed include: (l) the relative effectiveness of the three treatment models in affecting drinking and relationship functioning post-treatment; (2) the relationship between pre-treatment beliefs and response to treatment; (3) the effects of treatment on the functioning of the spouses; (4) the relationship between alcoholic subtyping models and marital functioning. The study utilizes data from a sample of 90 couples. Data are available on pretreatment drinking, marital functioning, and cognitions about alcohol, within treatment daily drinking and marital satisfaction, and post-treatment drinking, marital, and general functioning for 18 months following treatment.
