Variation of Interpersonal Values Following Alcohol Withdrawal in Alcoholics Seeking Treatment: 12-Month Longitudinal Study

Abstract

We performed a community research program in order to analyze the evolution of interpersonal values following alcohol withdrawal in alcoholics attending to a self-help group. The Gordon questionnaire on interpersonal values was administered every 3 months during one year to 145 individuals having recently stopped drinking. At baseline, scores of 5 interpersonal categories (dependence, conformism, consideration, independence, kindness) were in the medium interval of usual values while that of command category was low, specifically in men. Values of conformism and independence increased according to time while those of dependence and consideration decreased but the differences were significant only in those who remained abstinent all along the observation period. In those who relapsed, there were no modifications; however, sharing these values might have allowed these subjects to be less isolated. We will describe in details the nature of these evolutions.