Effects of ALANON attendance on family perception of inner-city indigents

Predictors of alcohol use disorder treatment outcomes over 12 months: Role of concerned others' functioning and Al-Anon participation

BACKGROUND

This study included dyads comprised of adults entering treatment for alcohol use disorder and their Concerned Others (COs) to examine indicators of COs functioning (Al-Anon attendance and involvement, relationship stressors, use of approach coping and stigma) as predictors of patient outcomes (Alcoholics Anonymous (AA) attendance and involvement, abstinence and risk of substance use) over 12 months following adults' entry into AUD treatment.

METHODS

Dyads (n = 279) were assessed when patients entered treatment and at 3-, 6- and 12-month follow-ups. Data were collected through participants' self-report. Lagged generalized linear mixed models were used to examine associations between indicators of COs' functioning at baseline, 3- and 6-month follow-ups and patients' outcomes at 3-, 6- and 12-month follow-ups.

RESULTS

Patients reported less AA attendance and involvement and likelihood of maintaining abstinence from alcohol use over time. Findings from our multivariate analysis showed that any CO involvement in Al-Anon, relative to none, was associated with more patient AA attendance. In contrast, more stigma (e.g., need to hide patient's drinking) reported by COs was associated with lower patient AA participation and involvement, while more CO use of approach coping was associated with less patient risk for alcohol and drug use.

CONCLUSIONS

Findings suggest that COs' functioning can affect longer-term outcomes of adults entering AUD treatment. Treatment programs should increase the availability of help to COs to improve their functioning and patient outcomes.

Asociación de la funcionalidad familiar entre padres e hijos adolescentes en Neiva

<p class="MsoCommentText" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; text-align: justify; text-justify: inter-ideograph; line-height: 200%;"><strong style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"></strong><span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%;" lang="ES-CO"><strong>Objetivo:</strong> Analizar la asociación de la funcionalidad familiar determinada por los padres y sus hijos adolescentes, mediante la puntuación de la escala ASF-E.</span></p><p class="MsoCommentText" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; text-align: justify; text-justify: inter-ideograph; line-height: 200%;"><span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%;" lang="ES-CO"><strong>Metodología:</strong> Se realizó un estudio descriptivo de corte transversal en 220 familias con adolescentes cuyos hijos tenían entre 13 y 18 años, vinculados a una institución educativa de Neiva (Colombia) en el año 2012. Se utilizaron dos instrumentos para el levantamiento de la información: una encuesta de datos sociodemográficos y la Escala de Evaluación de la Funcionalidad Familiar ASF-E.</span></p><p class="MsoCommentText" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; text-align: justify; text-justify: inter-ideograph; line-height: 200%;"><span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%;" lang="ES-CO"><strong>Resultados:</strong> No se encontró diferencia significativa en la puntuación hecha por padres e hijos, dado que en el nivel bajo de funcionalidad se ubicaron el 68,6% y el 69% respectivamente, mientras que en el medio fue de 28,2% y 30,5%.</span></p><p class="MsoCommentText" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; text-align: justify; text-justify: inter-ideograph; line-height: 200%;"><span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%;" lang="ES-CO"><strong>Conclusión:</strong> Las familias con adolescentes sujeto de estudio tienen un nivel de funcionalidad familiar predominante en el nivel bajo, reflejado en la insuficiente suplencia de las demandas afectivas de los<br />jóvenes. Se encontró asociación estadísticamente significativa entre la funcionalidad familiar percibida por hijos, con respecto a la de sus padres o tutores.</span></p>

Punishing versus reinforcing strategies of drug discontinuance: effect of persuaders' drug use

This study tests and extends inconsistent nurturing as control theory (Le Poire, 1992,1995) by exploring the use of reinforcing and punishing drug discontinuance strategies based on the drug-use status of the functional/persuading partners (past abuse, current abuse, current use, and nonuse). All partners were inconsistent in their use of reinforcement and punishment of substance abuse, with past abusers punishing the substance abuse most before they labeled the drug use as problematic, and current users and nonusers punishing the substance abuse the most following the labeling and in the postfrustration period. Additionally, current abusers were the most reinforcing of alternative behavior during every time period, a strategy that was most highly related to reduction in relapse. Furthermore, nonusers utilized the most indulgence and antidrink strategies, that are in opposition based on their reinforcing and punishing natures. Past abusers were rated as most persuasively effective by their partners, whereas nonusers were evaluated as the least persuasively effective. Finally, drug use was related to the mental health of the persuading partner, in that current abusers and nonusers were significantly more depressed and anxious than past abusers or current users.