Attitudes of Psychiatrists and Psychologists Toward Alcoholism

Responses to a survey of attitudes on alcoholism were obtained from 345 psychiatrists and 480 psychologists employed by the Veterans Administration. Their attitudes were remarkably similar. Both groups rejected the disease concept in preference to characterizing alcoholism as a behavior problem, symptom complex, or escape mechanism. Both groups were inconsistent in advocating neuropsychiatric hospitalization while considering treatment benefits very limited. Members of both groups were reluctant to participate personally to any degree in rendering this treatment.