The relationship of social support to remaining in alcoholism treatment: a multivariate approach

Abstract

Previous studies have suggested that social support may play an important role in distinguishing between treatment dropouts and remainers. However, most of these studies have not specifically conceptualized social support, nor examined the role of patient social support during the treatment process. This study examined pre-treatment and during treatment information on 166 patients admitted to one of three inpatient alcoholism treatment programs. Patients were assigned to one of three criterion groups based on their length of stay in treatment. These were named Early Dropouts, Delayed Dropouts, and Remainers. Pre-Treatment information included patient demographics; indicators of social stability, alcohol use and impairment; and measures of the availability and use of social support from family, friends, and others. During Treatment information included patients' evaluation of the program; staffs' evaluation of patient participation; and perceptions of patient social support. The results of a series of hierarchical multiple discriminant analyses indicated that the During Treatment variables were far more important than the Pre-Treatment indicators to discriminating among the three groups. In particular, patient social support was the strongest contributor. The reduced set of eight variables that best discriminated among the three criterion groups was achieved with a canonical R('2) of .736 for the first discriminant function, and .101 for the second. This analysis revealed that patients who do not live alone, who do not perceive family member(s) as an available source of social support, and who do perceive a high degree of patient social support are those most likely to remain in treatment longer. These and other findings are discussed in the context of relevant social support and alcoholism treatment literature. Particular emphasis is given to the need for more intensive studies of the social processes during treatment, including individual differences associated with family involvement.