The Effect of Court Referral and Disulfiram on Motivation of Alcoholics. A Preliminary Report

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Abstract
Attendance by patients admitted at the UCLA Alcoholism Research Clinic (Los Angeles) was studied over a 15-week period. Of 26 court-referred patients, 6 were placed in group psychotherapy and 20 were given medication, 8 of them disulfiram. Of 36 self-referred controls of similar age and sex distribution and socioeconomic status, 6 were placed in group psychotherapy and 30 were given medication, 9 of them disulfiram. By the end of 6 weeks only 10% in each group had dropped out, a low rate attributed to early initiation of treatment. In the court and self-referred groups separately, as well as in both groups combined, there were nonsignificant trends toward better attendance over 15 weeks by patients treated with disulfiram. It is concluded that alcoholic outpatients may not be less motivated for treatment than nonalcoholic psychiatric patients, and that clinic attendance by court-referred patients can equal that of self-referred ones over 15 weeks.

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