Published online by Cambridge University Press: 23 March 2020
Alcohol dependence is a serious problem in Central Europe and the treatment effect depends on level of patient's motivation. The theory of change assumes that therapeutic approaches should be adapted to the motivation stage.
To examine the state of readiness to change at the beginning and the end of inpatient 6-week and 12-week therapeutic program in Slovakia, Poland, and Czechia.
To compare readiness to change with insight and motivation. To find out, whether patients change during the therapeutic program and how this change leads to advances in treatment.
A total of 380 inpatients were examined using Alcohol Use Disorders Identification Test (AUDIT), the Stages of Change Readiness and Treatment Eagerness Scale (SOCRATES), Readiness to Change Questionnaire (RCQ), and Demographic Questionnaire.
Measured by AUDIT, single patients declared higher severity of alcohol dependence than married or divorced patients. A majority of patients were at the stage of action (68.5%) or preparation (26.3%) according to RCQ at the beginning of the treatment. Readiness to change was higher at the end of both programs in terms of taking steps in married patients and in terms of Decreasing of Ambivalence in single patients. The results of the 6-week program appear to be slightly better than 12-week treatment.
The intention and motivation to treatment changed during therapy. Marital status may increase the active component for readiness to change, while passive component (decreasing the ambivalence) is observed in single patients. Duration of the program does not seem to be crucial for readiness to change.
The authors have not supplied their declaration of competing interest.
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