Outpatient aftercare as a factor in treatment outcome; a pilot study.

Abstract

Of 20 alcoholics, who received inpatient treatment at a facility in southern Arizona [USA] in 1975, 10 were offered psychotherapy as outpatients at the same facility and 10 were asked to seek follow-up treatment from community health facilities or other established programs. Of the former subgroup, 7 remained abstinent (vs. 3 in the latter subgroup) and all (vs. none of the latter) maintained contact with the inpatient facility. In other respects (attendance at therapy sessions, use of disulfiram, job improvements and resolution of serious personal problems), the 2 subgroups did not differ to any considerable degree.