Reexamining the Clinical Response to Denial in Alcoholics

Denial is viewed as a major obstacle in the successful treatment of alcoholism. The authors suggest several reasons for the treatment problems related to denial in alcoholics. First is the current unidimensional approach to conceptualizing denial. Second is the failure to take into account all potential causes for the denial during the assessment and screening process. Third is the lack of comprehensive intervention strategies that incorporate all components of denial. Utilizing the new theoretical model of denial discussed in this article would lead to an expansion of interdisciplinary approaches and the potential for improving the success rate associated with alcoholism treatment.