The Characteristics of the Participants of Alcoholics Anonymous

단주동맹 참여자의 특성

The purpose of this study is to evaluate the demographic characteristics, alcohol-related characteristics and personality trends in the participants of Alcoholics Anonymous. We compared the 33 participants of Alcoholics Anonymous maintaining abstinence at least over 6 months with 35 hospitalized alcoholic patients who have never attended Alcoholics Anonymous and 32 normal controls. The personality trend was measured by Catell's 16 Personality Factors Questionnaire. -Korean Version. The results were as follows: 1) In the demographic data, the participants of Alcoholics Anonymous were mainly 40's, graduated from high school, married, unemployed, middle class in economic state, first or second sons. 2) In alcohol related characteristics, age of first drinking was mainly distributed from 15 to 19 years-old. The most common psychosocial and environmental problem as precipitating factor of alcohol consumption was the problem with primary supper group and the second one was occupational. Most of them drank everyday, and admitted one time. 3) In the first stratum sources traits, the participants of Alcoholics Anonymous demonstrated significantly higher score than hospitalized alcoholic Patients, but lower than normal control in C-factor(stableness). They demonstrated significantly higher score than hospitalized alcoholic patients and normal controls in O-factor(Guilt-proness) and demonstrated significantly higher score than hospitalized alcoholic patients in Q3-factor(self-control). 4) In the second stratum sources traits, they demonstrated significantly higher score than hospitalized alcoholic patients in EXT-factor(extroversions), and lower score than hospitalized alcoholic patients and normal controls in IND-factor(independence).