Alcoholism and social isolation.

Abstract

To control for biases in prior research, undiagnosed alcoholics (N = 238) were compared with nonalcoholics (N = 176) on social isolation. Both groups were patients given medical diagnoses by physicians instructed to diagnose all alcoholics admitted to the emergency service of a large general hospital. However, the undiagnosed alcoholics were rated alcoholic by separate criteria. Data were also available on all diagnosed alcoholics (N = 200). Standard biographical information, used to estimate current close contacts, stability in maintaining social involvement, and use of community resources, showed alcoholics to be more isolated than controls.