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Monday, April 6, 2009


Spirituality During Alcoholism Treatment and Continuous Abstinence for One Year
The International Journal of Psychiatry in Medicine Volume 38, Number 4 / 2008 , pp. 391 - 406



The primary aim of this prospective study was to examine the role of several aspects of spirituality in maintaining abstinence from alcohol for one year in persons treated for alcohol dependence. The roles of alcohol abstinence self-efficacy and Alcoholics Anonymous affiliation were also examined.

Twenty-eight participants were categorized as continuously abstinent for one year. The strongest associations between 12 month abstinence and the variables of interest were discharge scores of abstinence self-efficacy and existential well-being, and increases during treatment in scores of private spiritual practices. Increased age demonstrated a significant association with positive outcome.

The associations of private spiritual practices, existential well-being, and abstinence self-efficacy with one year of continuous abstinence following treatment discharge suggest the importance of addressing issues related to these variables during alcoholism treatment. More research is needed to understand the role of these variables in promoting and maintaining abstinence and to determine whether or not a related intervention would improve abstinence rates.


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