STAGE 5. Defining the action plan

What steps should be completed?

Step 1: Specify intervention actions

CONTROLLED DRINKING PROGRAMMES

The results of research into the effectiveness of this type of intervention are somewhat contradictory, even if there appears to be moderate evidence for the efficacy of controlled drinking programmes as a whole, particularly in dependent young people, women and people with adequate social support.

A review of 30 studies¹ carried out between 1984 and 1992 showed that results were positive in almost half of them, while the rest of these programmes were as effective as other care interventions.

Other reviews highlight the following factors as variables associated with the long-term success of these programmes: dependence should be slight; the person is aiming for moderation of consumption rather than abstinence; and other sociodemographic variables (such as being young, a woman, having financial stability, etc.).   

In general, the research notes that people who can benefit most from this type of approach are those with patterns of abusive consumption or slight dependence who are young and have low or no motivation to stay sober for long.²

 

References:

1 Miller WR et al. (1995). What works? A methodological analysis of the alcohol treatment outcome literature. In Hester RK & Miller WR (eds.), Handbook of alcoholism treatment approaches: effective alternatives. 2nd ed. (pp. 12-24). Boston, MA: Allyn & Bacon.

2 Becoña E. (1998). Alcoholismo. In Vallejo M. (ed.). Manual de terapia de conducta vol II [Manual of behavioural therapy vol. II]. Madrid: Dykinson. 75-141