Date of Award

Fall 12-1-1985

Document Type

Dissertation

Degree Name

Doctor of Philosophy (PhD)

Department

Department Not Listed

First Advisor

Reece Chaney

Second Advisor

John C. Jessell

Third Advisor

Glen J. Brown

Abstract

The purpose of this study was to determine the effectiveness of a Rational Emotive Therapy (RET) program in altering the irrational beliefs and locus-of-control (LOC) of inpatient alcoholics. The variables evaluated for change within treatment and between treatments were ten irrational beliefs as measured by the Irrational Beliefs Test (Jones, 1969) and locus-of-control as measured by the InternalExternal Locus of Control Scale (Rot~er, 1966). The sample consisted of 60 male volunteers from two Veterans Administration Medical Centers (VAMC) alcohol treatment programs. Thirty volunteers from the Danville, Illinois, VAMC served as the RET treatment group and 30 volunteers from the Marion, Indiana, VAMC served as the Alcoholics Anonymous treatment group. Treatment groups were equivalent to each other in age, education, estimated IQ, MacAndrews Alcoholism Scale Score (MacAndrews, 1981), drinking years, problem drinking years, and IBT and I-E pretest scores. The RET program at Danville consisted of lectures about the problems associated with alcoholism, and the theory and practice of RET, plus personal skills training, relaxation training, and milieu therapy. The Marion program is a registered A.A. program and consists mainly of lectures on the principles of A.A. and group therapy. It was concluded that both RET and A.A. may effectively change some irrational beliefs among inpatient alcoholics. RET appeared to be effective in changing a larger number of irrational beliefs than A.A .. RET also appeared to be more effective than A.A. in changing certain irrational beliefs. Neither treatment appears to change locus-of-control from pre- to posttest. Conclusions and implications of the study were discussed.

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