Physicians and alcoholics. Modifying behavior and attitudes of family-practice residents.

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Abstract
Instruction on alcohol and alcoholism was given twice monthly for 7 mo. to 33 physicians in a residency training program at a family-practice clinic in order to improve their knowledge of alcoholism, attidues toward alcoholics and diagnostic skills. Before and after the instruction the physicians completed a questionnaire on knowledge of alcoholism and a 16-adjective semantic differential test of their attitudes toward the alcoholic and the average person. Their knowledge of alcoholism was significantly improved after instruction. On the semantic differential, before instruction, the alcoholic was rated significantly more weak, sick, passive and hopeless than the average person, and after instruction only significantly more sick. During the 4 yr prior to the course, alcoholism was diagnosed in 19 of the clinic''s 2282 adult patients, during the 7-mo. instruction period in 38 and during the next yr in 58. Educational programs aimed at increasing behavioral skills and affective as well as cognitive knowledge may be more effective than those imparting factual knowledge only.

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