Reinforcement expectancies and alcoholism treatment outcome after a one-year follow-up.

Abstract

The relationship of alcohol-related expectancies with the drinking behavior and treatment compliance of alcoholics was examined 1 yr posttreatment, along with the utility of reinforcement expectancy as a predictor of alcoholism treatment outcome. Of the original sample of 42 men veteran inpatients from an alcoholism treatment program, 81% were interviewed 1 yr after treatment. Prediction variables identified in the multiple-regression accounted for 40-57% of the criterion variance. More limited expectancies of alcohol-produced relaxation were associated with abstinence, as well as nonproblematic drinking. There was a consistent negative linear relationship between alcohol expectancies and measures of treatment success.