Factors affecting the short-term prognosis of alcohol dependent patients undergoing inpatient detoxification

• Published in: Substance abuse Vol. 22; no. 4; pp. 235 - 245
• Main Authors: Wicks, S., Hammar, J., Heilig, M., Wisén, O.
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: Los Angeles, CA Taylor & Francis Group 01.12.2001; SAGE Publications
• Subjects: alcohol dependency; cognitive functioning; mood states; motivation; WCST; alcohol dependency; cognitive functioning; mood states; WCST; motivation
• ISSN: 0889-7077; 1547-0164
• DOI: 10.1080/08897070109511465

Stable measures of psychological functioning require a considerable period of abstinence. However, the duration of inpatient detoxification programs has decreased dramatically in most health care systems, posing a novel challenge for clinical evaluation of patients. The present study was carried out to examine whether factors predicting short-term prognosis can be identified in alcohol dependent subjects during early stages of inpatient detoxification. Self-reports of mood states were obtained, and executive cognitive functioning was examined. Outcome was studied at 2-3 months. No correlation was found between self-reported symptoms of depression, hopelessness, and anxiety, and percentage of nondrinking days. A significant positive correlation was found between Wisconsin Card Sorting Test (WCST) performance and short-term prognosis measured by this parameter. Thus, in addition to transient withdrawal-related effects, impairments of WCST performance in early stages of alcohol detoxification may reflect more long standing deficits in problem-solving strategies, of possible relevance for matching patients to treatment services.