Assessment of Alcohol Use Disorders Among Court-Mandated DWI Offenders

Depression, Readiness for Change, and Treatment Among Court-Mandated DUI Offenders

OBJECTIVE

The current study is part of a larger study that was designed to evaluate the impact of brief interventions on subsequent alcohol and drug use of individuals convicted of driving under the influence (DUI). This element considers the interaction of depression levels with treatment on subsequent substance use and problems related to substance use.

METHODS

Subjects were referred to the Research Institute on Addictions from various courts in the Western New York area for clinical evaluation and treatment referral, if further treatment was indicated. A total of 765 individuals were referred to the program, with 549 agreeing to participate. Participants were assessed at baseline using a number of different measures, with depression and readiness to change among them. A follow-up assessment took place 18-24 months following the baseline, with subsequent treatment experiences being one of the primary measures of interest for this study. A total of 443 participants were successfully interviewed at follow-up.

RESULTS

The high depression group had greater readiness to change and a greater likelihood of entering treatment than the low depression group (p's < .001). ANCOVAs showed depression by treatment interactions for drug problem severity, drug use, DUI risk, alcohol expectancies, abstinence self-efficacy, and psychiatric distress (all p's < .05). Furthermore, the treated high depression group made the largest positive gains across all outcomes (all p's < .01).

CONCLUSIONS

The readiness to change, treatment entry, and ANCOVA results, all support Wells-Parker and her colleagues' approach that depression may be a strong indicator of DUI offenders' readiness to change their substance use behavior.

Gender differences in high-risk situations for drinking: are they mediated by depressive symptoms?

OBJECTIVE

The purpose of the present study was to examine gender differences in the frequency of high-risk drinking situations and to investigate the extent to which depressive symptoms mediate the relationship.

METHOD

Participants were 143 outpatient alcohol treatment seekers. Each participant completed the Beck Depression Inventory-II and Inventory of Drug-Taking Situations (IDTS) at baseline prior to treatment.

RESULTS

Multivariate analysis of variance was used to examine gender differences in drinking across eight categories of situations assessed on the IDTS. Mediational analyses tested whether gender differences on these IDTS subscales may be mediated by depressive symptoms. We found support for the hypothesis that women report drinking more than men in response to unpleasant emotions and conflict with others, and that these associations are significantly mediated by depression severity.

CONCLUSIONS

The current findings have important implications for appropriate treatment for alcohol-dependent women. In particular, such treatment should include training in affect regulation and interpersonal skills, as well as treatment for depression, when appropriate.