Psychopathology and alcohol consumption among treatment-seeking alcoholics: a prospective study

The association between psychopathology and alcohol consumption was studied in a nation-wide representative sample of inpatient alcoholics (n = 245) who were examined at intake and 15 months later. As regards baseline observations men and women with antisocial personality disorder or cognitive impairment had consumed more alcohol in the month prior to admission than those not so affected. In contrast, men with panic disorder drank less compared with those not so affected. The prognosis for men consuming more than the median amount of alcohol was worse than that of women. However, after controlling for psychiatric distress and alcohol consumption at baseline, the prognosis of women was worse. Women but not men who had stopped drinking had a higher degree of psychiatric distress at follow-up compared with those still drinking at a low level. Regarding the prognostic significance of psychiatric disorders at baseline, among men panic disorder predicted continued drinking. Psychiatric distress and alcohol consumption at baseline interacted in the prediction of alcohol consumption at follow-up. The study highlights the importance of a thorough assessment of psychopathology and course of drinking when evaluating the outcome of alcoholism treatment.