Self-efficacy and temporal orientation as predictors of treatment outcome in severely dependent alcoholics

Drinking self-efficacy has been strongly advocated as an important variable in determining outcome in both abstinent and controlled drinking treatment programmes. The possibility that the predictive ability of self- efficacy could be enhanced by an understanding of time perspective was explored in this study. Thirty-one severely dependent alcoholics were enrolled in an abstinence programme. Contrary to expectations drinking self- efficacy measured at treatment onset was not a predictor of outcome, although there was some marginal significance observed for future temporal orientation as a predictor of long term abstinence.