21 January 2016
Researchers:
Dr Christos Kouimtsidis, Consultant Psychiatrist, Surrey and Borders Partnership NHS Foundation Trust; iHEAR Partnership, 1 Prince Regent Road, London TW3 1NE.
Kelly Jo Charge, Substance Misuse Specialist, Surrey and Borders Partnership NHS Foundation Trust, iACCESS, Abraham Cowley Unit, Chertsey, KT16 0AE.
Joanna Patrycja Moch, Recovery Worker, Surrey and Borders Partnership NHS Foundation Trust, Integrated Care Team, Cedar House, Ridgewood Centre, Old Bisley Road, Frimley, GU16 9QE.
Dr Daniel Stahl, Department of Biostatistics, Institute of Psychiatry, King’s College London, De Crespigny Park, BOX PO20, London SE5 8AF.
Key findings
- Abstinence Preparation Groups (APG) were effective in reducing the severity of drinking and symptoms of dependence during the intervention and at 1-month follow up.
- Urges to drink, self-efficacy, and positive expectancies towards drinking changed during the intervention and continued to change at 1-month follow up. These changes were in the direction predicted by the theory.
- Negative expectancies towards drinking did not change during the intervention but change significantly at 1-month follow up. This was in the direction predicted by theory.
- The underlying process of the APG intervention seems to be consistent with the Cognitive Behaviour Therapy predictions and process.
