Treating the Problem Drinking Driver: Some Notes on the Time Required to Achieve Impact

Abstract

The experience ofa court-related problem drinking driver outpatient treatment center is examined through an analysis of selected process and outcome measures on 277 problem drinking males. The data support the contention that a minimum of 6 months involvement in a treatment program is sufficient to achieve impact upon emerging problem drinkers and insufficient to achieve all treatment objectives with severe problem drinkers. The data reflect previous research findings that time in treatment and not type of treatment is the more crucial variable in modifying drinking behavior. A plea is made to direct energies to the development of additional early intervention mechanisms by which problem drinking individuals can be detected and maintained in treatment.