ANALYSIS OF DRINKER DIAGNOSIS, REFERRAL AND REHABILITATION ACTIVITY - FINAL REPORT, 1977

• NCJ Number: 59146
• Author(s): P R SWENSON; T R CLAY
• Date Published: 1977
• Length: 276 pages
• Contract Number(s): DOT-HS-52-1-068
• Sponsoring Agency: US Dept of Transportation National Highway Traffic Safety Admin; Phoenix (AZ) Alcohol Safety Action Project
• Sale Source: National Technical Information Service
• Publication Type: Program/Project Evaluation
• Language: English
• Country: United States of America
• Note: ANALYTIC STUDY N 6 CITY OF PHOENIX (AZ) ALCOHOL SAFETY ACTION PROJECT

Annotation

DRINKER DIAGNOSIS, REFERRAL, AND REHABILITATION ACTIVITIES OF THE PHOENIX, ARIZ., ALCOHOL SAFETY ACTION PROJECTS (ASAP) ARE EVALUATED FOR THE PERIOD 1972-76.

Abstract

DRINKER DIAGNOSIS REFERS TO A SCREENING PROCESS BY WHICH THE FREQUENCY OF A PERSON'S DRINKING IS DETERMINED AND THE DEGREE OR SEVERITY OF DYSFUNCTION EXPERIENCED IN DAY-TO-DAY AND TOTAL LIFE ADJUSTMENT IS ASSESSED. DIAGNOSIS MAY BE DONE IN TWO WAYS: (1) A PAPER AND PENCIL SELF-REPORT TEST ON DRINKING BEHAVIOR AND PAST AND PRESENT PROBLEMS AND (2) AN INDIVIDUAL ASSESSMENT INTERVIEW. REFERRAL CHANNELS PERSONS TO ONE OF A BATTERY OF REHABILITATION PROGRAMS, BASED ON DIAGNOSIS RESULTS: A DWI (DRIVING WHILE INTOXICATED) PREVENTION WORKSHOP DESIGNED FOR PERSONS SCREENED AS SOCIAL DRINKERS, CONSISTING OF FOUR 2-HOUR SESSIONS USING GROUP INTERACTION TO IMPART AND DISCUSS THE DESTRUCTIVE EFFECTS OF ALCOHOL; DWI THERAPY WORKSHOPS FOR PERSONS SCREENED AS PROBLEM DRINKERS, WHICH USE GROUP THERAPY UNDER THE SUPERVISION OF A TRAINED LEADER TO IDENTIFY-ALCOHOL-RELATED PROBLEMS; POWER MOTIVATION TRAINING, WHICH AIMS AT COMBATING FEELINGS OF POWERLESSNESS, WHICH ARE BELIEVED TO BE ASSOCIATED WITH ABUSIVE DRINKING; KEY THERAPY--A SERIES OF FIVE GROUP MEETINGS DESIGNED TO INCREASE THE REPEAT OFFENDER'S KNOWLEDGE AND AWARENESS OF ALCOHOL; AND DWI PROBATION, WHICH PROVIDES EXTENDED 6-MONTH CONTACT WITH CONVICTED DWI OFFENDERS. REHABILITATION EFFECTIVENESS WAS ADDRESSED THROUGH ANALYSES OF DWI ARREST RECIDIVISM AND NEWLY DEVELOPED BEHAVIORAL CRITERIA RELATING TO CLIENT 'LIFE STATUS.' THE RECIDIVISM AND BEHAVIORAL STUDIES BOTH SHOWED THAT REHABILITATION ACTIVITIES HAD MINIMAL EFFECT UPON CLIENTS. SINCE BOTH PUNITIVE SANCTIONS AND CURRENT REHABILITATION PROGRAMS APPEAR INEFFECTUAL, A REASONABLE ALTERNATIVE WOULD BE A SYSTEMATIC DEVELOPMENT AND EVALUATION OF A DIFFERENT MIX OF REHABILITATION MODALITIES. TABULAR AND GRAPHIC DATA ARE PROVIDED, AND THE APPENDIXES DISCUSS THE INSTRUMENTS AND PROCEDURES USED IN THE EVALUATION. (RCB)