The development of evidence-based psychotherapy for use in alcoholism. A review

Past decades have seen enormous advances in the development and validation of evidence-based approaches to psychotherapy for alcoholism. While psychoanalytic and early behavioral techniques were the original basis of psychotherapy in this field, evidence-based approaches are now built up on the principles of motivational interviewing and cognitive-behavior therapy. Different techniques have been developed to modify preceding and persisting conditions favoring problem behavior, e.g., training in coping/social skills and the community reinforcement approach. According to the results of the project MATCH, one of the largest treatment trials, "cognitive-behavioral intervention"combines motivational enhancement therapy, the 12-step approach, and cognitive-behavior therapy, with the aim of providing new and even more efficacious psychotherapy for alcohol dependent patients. These very promising developments are beset with huge problems, however, insofar as few of the new evidence-based treatment approaches are accepted as standard treatment in Germany, in addition to which only a fraction of all alcohol-dependent persons in the country find their way into the care system, for various reasons. Early diagnosis and facilitation of access to the various treatment options available could be a future task for general practitioners and also for company/industrial medical schemes.