Citation

Rohsenow DJ, Monti PM, Zwick WR, Nirenberg TD, Liepman MR, Binkoff JA, Abrams DB. J. Stud. Alcohol 1989; 50(5): 461-464.

Affiliation

Psychology Service, Veterans Administration Medical Center, Providence, RI 02908.

Copyright

(Copyright © 1989, Rutgers Center of Alcohol Studies)

DOI

unavailable

PMID

2779249

Abstract

The relationship of various irrational beliefs to alcohol dependence, urges to drink, anxiety and drinking after treatment was investigated for 63 male alcoholics, using Jones' Irrational Beliefs Test (IBT). Alcohol dependence was most strongly associated with problem avoidance. Urges to drink, anxiety and difficulty during alcohol-related role-plays were strongly correlated with problem avoidance and dwelling on negative events. The IBT was unrelated to pretreatment drinking measures but did predict 6-month posttreatment drinking (n = 48) which suggests these beliefs can mediate treatment response. Feeling doomed by the past was the best predictor of both frequency of drinking and average quantity consumed during follow-up. Treatment implications include targeting specific beliefs for intervention.

Language: en