The effect of electronic surveillance on alcohol misuse and everyday behavior

The present study of the everyday behavior of alcohol misusers is part of a series of studies using a special technique for conveniently reaching the participants at any time, anywhere in order to sample their everyday behavior. One purpose of the study was to help a group of heavy drinkers to reduce or cease drinking. Another purpose was to study how alcohol misusers differ from matched nondrinking people and to obtain a psychological profile of them before and during their attempts to control their drinking. The belief was that an experimental design with a moral contract and electronic surveillance would facilitate drinkers' attempts to control their alcohol consumption. The results in terms of reduced and terminated drinking were very satisfactory, and the method of random action sampling made detailed and explorative analyses possible. (C) 1998 Elsevier Science Ltd.