Effectiveness of a Cognitive-autonomous Motivation Program on Alcohol Consumption Behavior and Coping Ability for Alcohol-Dependent Patients

Background/ problem: Retention of behavior changes in alcohol consumption following treatment among alcohol-dependent patients poses a global health challenge. Consequently, it is essential to promote patients’ autonomous management and maintenance of long-term behavioral change. Objective/ purpose: To assess the effectiveness of the cognitive-autonomous motivation program (CAMP) on coping ability, alcohol consumption behavior, and severity of dependence in alcohol-dependent patients in Thailand. Design and Methodology: A quasi-experimental design with repeated measures was performed. Seventy-one alcohol-dependent patients who met the inclusion criteria and received treatment from the addiction ward of the Thai tertiary care hospital were assigned to either the experimental or the control group. The experimental group received the CAMP with conventional nursing care, while the control group received only conventional care. The hypotheses were analyzed using repeated measures MANOVA. Results: At 4- and 8-weeks following discharge, the participants in the experimental group demonstrated statistically significant reductions in alcohol consumption and severity of dependence relative to baseline, with significant differences from the control group at both time points (p = .00, η2 = .16). Additionally, the experimental group demonstrated significantly greater improvements in coping abilities over time compared to the control group at both time points (p = .00, η2 = .53). Conclusion and Implications: The CAMP significantly enhanced coping abilities and reduced alcohol consumption behavior and severity of dependence among alcohol-dependent patients. These findings suggest that Thai healthcare professionals and behavioral specialists can effectively implement the CAMP as a supportive intervention to promote autonomous self-management and sustained behavioral change in alcohol-related behaviors.