Objectives: The purpose of this study was to examine psychosocial variables associated with treatment outcome, dropout, and the change process in a clinical trial that combines pharmacotherapy with a psychosocial intervention.
Methods: Participants (N=72) were men and women who enrolled in a 12-week clinical trial of olanzapine for alcohol dependence. All participants received 2 individual sessions of a motivation-based intervention.
Results: Analysis revealed that higher motivation for change and higher problem severity were individually associated with lower rates of treatment dropout. The effects of problem severity on treatment dropout were found to be mediated by motivation for change. Regarding treatment outcome, baseline measures of craving for alcohol significantly predicted drinking outcomes during follow-up. Furthermore, changes in craving for alcohol before and after treatment were found to predict drinking outcomes at follow-up.
Conclusions: Results are discussed in terms of their implications for the treatment of alcohol dependence, particularly regarding clinical trials that combine pharmacotherapy with a psychosocial intervention.