Group assertiveness training for alcoholics.

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Abstract
Changes in drinking behavior, assertiveness and general social and occupational adjustment were assessed in 6 men alcoholics who attended weekly group assertiveness training sessions and also received individual psychotherapy. Before treatment all 6 men, who were in their 40s and 50s and had been drinking heavily for many years, were judged by their therapists to be markedly inhibited, socially isolated, lacking self-confidence, unexpressive and unassertive. The assertiveness training program involved modeling, role playing and behavior rehearsal exercises and the completion of outside assignments. Of the 6 patients, 2 completed 15 assertion training sessions, and 1 each completed 14, 12, 11 and 6 sessions. The 2 patients who had been abstinent for 1 yr prior to training remained abstinent during the 4 mo. of training and the 11 mo. follow-up period. Of the 4 who had been drinking before training, 2 had brief drinking episodes during the program. At 11 mo., 1 of these 4 men had been abstinent over the entire period, 2 had had brief drinking episodes and 1 had had 2 extended drinking episodes. Each patient completed the Social Reaction Inventory, a 20-item questionnaire designed to gauge attitudinal assertiveness, before and after training. The scores of 5 of the 6 patients indicated increased assertiveness after training. The patients completed 25 of 35 outside assignments made over a 2 mo. period. The social and occupational status of each of the patients improved to some degree after training.

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