Partner violence before and after individually based alcoholism treatment for male alcoholic patients

J Consult Clin Psychol. 2003 Feb;71(1):92-102. doi: 10.1037//0022-006x.71.1.92.

Abstract

This study examined partner violence in the year before and the year after individually based, outpatient alcoholism treatment for 301 married or cohabiting male alcoholic patients and used a demographically matched nonalcoholic comparison sample. In the year before treatment, 56% of the alcoholic patients had been violent toward their female partner, 4 times the rate of 14% in the comparison sample. In the year after treatment, violence decreased significantly to 25% of the alcoholic sample but remained higher than in the comparison group. Among remitted alcoholics after treatment, violence prevalence of 15% was nearly identical to the comparison sample and half the rate among relapsed patients (32%). Thus, partner violence decreased after alcoholism treatment, and clinically significant violence reductions occurred for patients whose alcoholism was remitted after treatment.

Publication types

  • Research Support, Non-U.S. Gov't
  • Research Support, U.S. Gov't, Non-P.H.S.
  • Research Support, U.S. Gov't, P.H.S.

MeSH terms

  • Adult
  • Alcoholism / epidemiology*
  • Alcoholism / therapy*
  • Ambulatory Care
  • Female
  • Humans
  • Male
  • Prevalence
  • Spouse Abuse / statistics & numerical data*
  • Spouse Abuse / therapy*
  • Surveys and Questionnaires
  • Time Factors