NCJ Number
65433
Journal
International Journal of the Addictions Volume: 13 Issue: 3 Dated: (1978) Pages: 443-459
Date Published
1978
Length
17 pages
Annotation
THIS PAPER EXAMINES THE POTENTIAL FOR INTERVENTION AMONG PROBLEM-DRINKING BLACKS PRESENTLY PARTICIPATING IN PROGRAMS FOR PROBLEM-DRINKING DRIVERS.
Abstract
A COMPARATIVE ANALYSIS OF SELECTED BACKGROUND, TREATMENT PROCESS, AND TREATMENT OUTCOME VARIABLES WAS MADE FOR A GROUP OF 94 BLACK AND 177 WHITE MALES IN THE TREATMENT PROGRAM. THE PROGRAM WAS A 3-YEAR DEMONSTRATION PROJECT TO PROVIDE TREATMENT SERVICES TO INDIVIDUALS APPREHENDED FOR DRUNK DRIVING AND SUBSEQUENTLY FOUND TO BE EXHIBITING PROBLEM-DRINKING BEHAVIOR. OPERATED IN CONCERT WITH THE BOSTON ALCOHOL SAFETY ACTION PROJECT, IT UTILIZED POLICE, COURTS, AND THE THERAPEUTIC COMMUNITY TO FORM A COMPLETE EARLY INTERVENTION SYSTEM GEARED SPECIFICALLY TO THE PROBLEM-DRINKING DRIVER. DATA WERE OBTAINED THROUGH THE CULLING AND CODING OF INFORMATION CONTAINED IN THE TREATMENT RECORD FOLDERS OF EACH CLIENT AND INCLUDED ARREST DATA, PROBATION RECORDS, CLINICAL EVALUATION REPORTS, DEMOGRAPHIC AND DRINKING INVENTORIES, TREATMENT PLANS, COUNSELOR NOTES, AND TERMINATION REPORTS. RESULTS SHOWED THAT BLACKS WERE OLDER THAN WHITES, WERE MORE OFTEN MARRIED OR DIVORCED, HAD A LOWER LEVEL OF EDUCATION, AND HAD A HIGHER BAC BLOOD ALCOHOL CONTENT AT THE TIME OF ARREST. IN SIX OTHER VARIABLES, HOWEVER, NO DIFFERENCES WERE FOUND BETWEEN BLACK AND WHITE PARTICIPANTS SUPPORTING THE CONCLUSION THAT THE PRESENTING PROBLEM CHARACTERISTICS WERE ESSENTIALLY SIMILAR. MANAGEMENT OF BOTH IN THE TREATMENT PROCESS WERE ALMOST IDENTICAL, AND TREATMENT IMPACT WAS ALSO EQUALLY DISTRIBUTED ACROSS BOTH GROUPS AND WAS LARGELY POSITIVE. THE RESULTS CONFIRMED THAT COURT-ENFORCED TREATMENT OF PROBLEM-DRINKING DRIVERS HAS SIGNIFICANT POTENTIAL IN REACHING AND SERVICING PROBLEM-DRINKING BLACKS AND SHOULD BE EXPLORED. TABULAR DATA ARE GIVEN AND A LIST OF REFERENCES ARE INCLUDED. (MJW)