Subjective well-being of abstinent alcoholics in Romania. A study using Personal Wellbeing Index

Journal of Social Research & Policy, Volume: 9, Issue: 1, pp. 17-27

Date: July 2018

ISSN: 2067-2640 (print), 2068-9861 (electronic)

Abstract: Previous studies show that the quality of life of alcoholics is severely diminished. The treatment of alcohol addicts seeks to achieve and maintain abstinence because this is the only solution to return to the initial state. In this study we aimed to see whether abstinence maintained over time without relapse increases the subjective well-being of alcoholics. The participants, 192 male abstinent alcoholics in Romania, were split into groups based on relapse: with no relapse (n = 104, 54.2%) or with relapse (n = 88; 45.8%) and based on the duration of abstinence: five years or more without relapse or since the last relapse (n = 100; 52.1%), or less than five years without relapse or since the last relapse (n = 92; 47.9%). Subjective well-being was measured by a single item satisfaction as a whole and by the Personal Wellbeing Index (PWI). Levels of satisfaction with life as a whole, PWI and satisfaction with six out of eight domains of life included in the Personal Wellbeing Index are higher for those with abstinence over five years (no relapse) compared to those with shorter abstinence as well as for abstainers with no relapse compared to those who have relapsed. Overall, our results suggest that long term abstinence, without relapse, is the main strategy for living with alcoholism.

Keywords: Alcoholism; Abstinent Alcoholic; Relapse; Subjective Well-Being.