Untreated Heavy Drinkers: a Qualitative and Quantitative Study of Dependence and Readiness to Change

Abstract

The Birmingham Untreated Heavy Drinkers (BUHD) project recruited 500 untreated heavy drinkers directly from the community. All participants completed the Leeds Dependence Questionnaire (LDQ) and the Readiness to Change Questionnaire (RCQ) and two sub-samples of 25 participants each were interviewed in depth about their experiences of dependence and readiness to change. Quantitative and qualitative data were used to make comparisons with previous research, evaluate the applicability of pre-existing theory and develop grounded theories pertaining to untreated heavy drinkers. Findings distinguished the BUHD sample from those used in previous research studies (particularly clinical samples); indicated a broad conceptualization of dependence including social and environmental aspects; and suggested that readiness to change be understood in terms of cognitive-behavioural profiles rather than the sequential transtheoretical model. Implications of the research are discussed.

Letter to the Editor

“…The average units reported in the previous week was 86, and most had positive scores for contemplation of change on the Readiness to Change Questionnaire (Heather and Rollnick, 1993). Finally, this letter gives us an opportunity to point out an error in our original paper (Hartney et al, 2003): in the centre of Figure 1 (p. 329) the figures should be 9 (1.8%), consistent with those in Table IX …”

EMDR, Addictions, and the Stages of Change: A Road Map for Intervention

“…These authors identified the following stages of change: precontemplation, contemplation, preparation, action, maintenance, and relapse and recycling. Research has validated the existence of these various stages in clients presenting to addictions treatment facilities or in community samples (Demmel, Beck, Richter, & Reker, 2004;Hartney et al, 2003), as well as the success of this model in adapting treatments for addictions and compulsive behavior (Armitage, 2006;Berman, Forsberg, Durbeej, Kallman, & Hermansson, 2010;DiClemente, Schlundt, & Gemmell, 2004;Giovazolias & Davis, 2005;Mitchell & Angelone, 2006;Wade, Frayne, Edwards, Robertson, & Gilchrist, 2009). …”

Psychometric validation of the Leeds Dependence Questionnaire (LDQ) in a young adult clinical sample

“…The 10 items map onto the ICD-10 and DSM-IV criteria for substance dependence: Pre-occupation, salience, compulsion to start, planning, maximizing effect, narrowing of repertoire, compulsion to continue, primacy of effect, constancy of state, and cognitive set. The measure has established psychometric properties with adult alcohol or opiate using samples (Hartney et al, 2003; Heather et al, 2001; Raistrick et al, 1994), primarily alcohol using young adults (Lennings, 1999; Thomas & McCambridge, 2008), and substance using adolescents (Lennings, 1999). …”

“…A more recent study with a web-based/online, low severity sample (LDQ M = 4.3) of adolescent and young adult alcohol users (ages 16–24) revealed high internal consistency and a single principal component accounting for the majority of the variance (Thomas & McCambridge, 2008). Finally, a sample of low severity (LDQ M=7.3) untreated heavy drinkers (N = 500, M age 37) yielded a two factor solution, a “drinking ideation” factor, and a “achieving and maintaining intoxication” factor (Hartney et al, 2003). …”