Abstract
Background and aims
Psychosocial functioning among individuals who exceed low risk drinking limits (exceed 3/4 standard drinks for women/men) is heterogeneous. Among those who receive treatment for alcohol use disorder (AUD), recent research found over one‐half of those who exceeded low‐risk limits (i.e., treatment non‐responders) reported good psychosocial functioning commensurate with those who were abstinent or low risk drinkers (i.e., treatment responders) up to one year following treatment. This study aimed to determine if good levels of psychosocial functioning are maintained beyond one year.
Design
Secondary analysis of three‐year follow‐up data from Project MATCH and COMBINE, multisite alcohol clinical trials conducted in the United States.
Setting
Eleven sites in COMBINE and nine sites in Project MATCH.
Participants
Individuals with AUD from COMBINE and Project MATCH (n=1383 and n=1726) characterized in terms of drinking/functioning at one‐year follow‐up (n=962 and n=1528) and retained at three‐year (n=641 and n=790) post‐treatment follow‐ups.
Measurements
Alcohol consumption measured by Form‐90 and psychosocial functioning assessed by various instruments at three years post‐treatment.
Findings
High‐functioning non‐responders at one‐year post‐treatment maintained a high level of functioning two years later and were not significantly different from the abstainers/low risk drinkers on any functional outcomes (e.g., SF12 Mental Health Mean difference: ‐1.38 (95% CI: ‐4.34, 1.57), SF12 Physical Health Mean difference: ‐0.43 (95% CI: ‐2.28, 3.13)).
Conclusions
About one‐half of those who engage in some heavy drinking in the year following treatment for alcohol use disorder appear to maintain high levels of psychosocial functioning up to three years following treatment.