Recovering Alcoholics: Depression, Anger, And Assertiveness

A 2 x 3 factorial analysis of variance design was used to investigate the effects of Length of Sobriety and Relapse on depres­sion, anger, and assertiveness. Measurements used to test the dependent variables were the Zung Depression Scale, Speilberger's Anger Expression Scale, and the Rathus 30 Item Schedule for Assess­ing Assertive Behavior. Two hundred twenty-one subjects who had completed the 28 day private inpatient program at Charlotte Treat­ment Center during the past 2 years and 8 months were used. All subjects carried the sole diagnosis of alcoholism and were presently experiencing sobriety, either continuous since their discharge or following a relapse. In addition to completing the test measure­ments, each subject completed a biographical data questionnaire which assessed their present status as well as aftercare involvement.