Treatment outcome for impoverished alcoholics in an abstinence-based program.

Positive patient characteristics have been assumed important in determining treatment outcome for the abstinence-based method of addiction treatment. Thus far, controlled and uncontrolled studies of the abstinence-based method have examined predominantly employed, White, and married populations of alcoholics. We present a treatment outcome study of the abstinence-based method of treatment in unemployed, Black, and unmarried population of alcoholics. The negative patient characteristics of our study did not predict an unfavorable outcome in comparison to those in other studies that included positive patient characteristics.