moderation

Background Relatively little is known about how risky drinkers attempt to moderate their drinking in the absence of specialist support. The broader literature has identified multiple potential strategies that people use to cope with...

‘DANGEROUS DATA’: DRINKING AFTER DEPENDENCE REVISITED Updates an exploration begun two months ago of the history of research on controlled drinking as a treatment goal. Developed along the way, if you read it back in January, try revisiting...

CONTROLLED DRINKING AIM NO LESS SUCCESSFUL THAN AIMING FOR ABSTINENCE Using achievement of controlled drinking (including abstinence) as its yardstick, a comprehensive review and amalgamation of research findings concludes that even among...

‘DANGEROUS DATA’ PART 8: CONTROLLED DRINKING: WHAT DO THE AUTHORITIES SAY? Official guidance on controlled drinking as a treatment goal from Britain’s National Institute for Health and Care Excellence, how the National Treatment Agency for...

‘DANGEROUS DATA’ PART 7: CONTROLLED DRINKING VERSUS ABSTINENCE: WHO DECIDES? The history of the controlled drinking controversy makes us face not just what decision is made about treatment goals, but who makes that decision; where the power...

‘DANGEROUS DATA’ PART 6: EVIDENCE ACCUMULATES AND EXPERT OPINION CONVERGES The heat dies down as it becomes clearer that both controlled drinking and abstinence have their place among the gaols for alcohol treatment patients, and evidence...

‘DANGEROUS DATA’ PART 5: INQUIRIES REJECT FRAUD ALLEGATIONS Establishing fraud seemed the only way to fatally undermine the Sobells’ findings vindicating controlled drinking as a treatment goal, but inquiry after inquiry cleared the couple...

‘DANGEROUS DATA’ PART 4: SOBELLS DECISIVELY CRACK THE ABSTINENCE CONSENSUS Fourth weekly instalment of the series on controlled drinking as a treatment goal. Published in 1973, hard-to-explain-away results from the solidity of a randomised...

ORGANISATIONS SET THE CONTEXT FOR CRIME-REDUCING TREATMENT Key studies teasing out organisational-level influences on treatment for drinking problems which aims to reduce crime and safeguard family and community. In the context of a market...

‘DANGEROUS DATA’ PART 3: THE GLOVES COME OFF Third weekly instalment of the series on controlled drinking as a treatment goal. Controversy moves to the USA, where the 1976 Rand report’s finding that post-treatment remission usually involved...