Natural Recovery in a Community-Based Sample of Alcoholics: Study Design and Descriptive Data

• NCJ Number: 191938
• Journal: Substance Use & Misuse Volume: 36 Issue: 11 Dated: 2001 Pages: 1417-1441
• Author(s): Marcia Russell Ph.D.; Robert S. Peirce Ph.D.; Arthur W. K. Chan Ph.D.; William F. Wieczorek Ph.D.; Beth S. Moscato Ph.D.; Thomas H. Nochajski Ph.D.
• Date Published: 2001
• Length: 25 pages
• Grant Number(s): P50 AA09802
• Sponsoring Agency: US Dept of Health and Human Services
• Publication Format: Article
• Publication Type: Report (Study/Research)
• Language: English
• Country: United States of America

Annotation

This article describes a study that assesses factors believed to be associated with natural recovery from addiction versus entry into treatment.

Abstract

The majority of alcoholics who recover do so without benefit of treatment, yet little is known about those individuals and factors associated with their success. This study follows up alcoholics identified in four previous community surveys. It includes physical examinations and in-depth interviews assessing factors believed to be associated with natural recovery or entry into treatment. The article presents the study model, describes a sample of 83 naturally recovered and 138 hazardous problem drinkers, and reports factors associated with natural recovery. Those factors include older age, marriage, lower levels of avoidance coping, higher self-esteem, social networks with members who drink less, and a history of less frequent drug use and lower frequencies of intoxication. The article observes that rates of natural recovery may be increased by encouraging development of these attributes in hazardous problem drinkers who do not already have them. Figure, tables, references