Social-skills training to teach alcoholics to refuse drinks effectively.

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Abstract
Training was given to 2 male (aged 48 and 50) inpatients in a behaviorally orineted alcholism treatment program, who had difficulty resisting social pressure to drink. The patients'' ability to counter such pressure was assessed before, during and 3 mo. after treatment, which consisted of modeling plus focused instructions. Training, with 3 role-played scenes that depicted actual situations in which the patients had had difficulty refusing drinks, focused on 5 target behaviors which the patients could use to refuse drinks effectively. During training both patients employed the target behaviors with increasing frequency, and both reported success in using their new skills in actual social situations. At 3 mo. follow-up 1 patient reported complete abstinence since discharge, but the other had resumed heavy drinking and had returned for further treatment. Training in refusing drinks might be a useful component of alcoholism treatment programs.

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