Predicting drinking outcomes: Evidence from the United Kingdom Alcohol Treatment Trial (UKATT)

Veronica Mary Dale, N. Heather, S Adamson, Simon Coulton, A. Copello, Christine Ann Godfrey, R Hodgson, J. Orford, D. Raistrick, G. Tober, On behalf of the UKATT Research Team

Research output: Contribution to journalArticlepeer-review

Abstract

Aims
To explore client characteristics that predict drinking outcomes using data from the UK Alcohol Treatment Trial (UKATT).

Methods
Multiple linear regression was used to determine if there were any characteristics, measured before the start of treatment, that could predict drinking outcomes at three and 12 months, as measured by percent day abstinent (PDA) and drinks per drinking day (DDD) over the preceding 90 days.

Results
Lower baseline DDD score and greater confidence to resist drinking predicted lower DDD at both three and twelve months following entry to treatment. In addition to baseline PDA and having greater confidence to resist heavy drinking, female gender, aiming for abstinence, more satisfaction with family life and a social network that included less support for drinking were predictors of percent days abstinent.

Conclusions
Overall the strongest and most consistent predictors of outcome were confidence to avoid heavy drinking and social support for drinking. More predictors were identified for percent of days abstinent than for drinks per drinking day. For percent of days abstinent, a number of client characteristics at baseline consistently predicted outcome at both month three and month twelve.
Original languageEnglish
Pages (from-to)61-67
Number of pages7
JournalAddictive Behaviors
Volume71
Early online date15 Feb 2017
DOIs
Publication statusPublished - 1 Aug 2017

Bibliographical note

© Elsevier, 2017. This is an author-produced version of the published paper. Uploaded in accordance with the publisher’s self-archiving policy.

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