Identifying and categorizing alcoholics' nondrinking concerns

To explore alcoholics' nondrinking concerns, 169 males requesting treatment for alcoholism were asked to name (a) the one thing that they most wanted to accomplish (besides stopping drinking) that would bring them happiness. (b) the one: thing that they most wanted to get rid of (besides stopping drinking) that caused their life to be unhappy, and (c) to rate each kind of concern along several dimensions. They were also asked demographic and drinking-history questions about themselves. Coders devised categories into which to place the concerns, with the resulting taxonomy consisting of six major categories of positive concern; (Employment/financial, Interpersonal Relationships, Personal Characteristics, Education, Use of Free Time, and Housing/Living Arrangements) and five major categories of negative concerns (i.e., aversive objects or events that the person wanted to get rid of, prevent, or avoid, including Personal Characteristics, Interpersonal Relationships, Employment/Financial, Housing/Living Arrangements, and Use of Free Time). Implications of alcoholics' nondrinking concerns for improving treatment are discussed.