The effect of coping skills training on the self-efficacy expectations of alcohol abusers

This study investigated the utility of a coping skills training program for increasing the self-efficacy expectations, coping skills, and self esteem of alcohol abusers. Fifty two clients at two residential substance abuse treatment centers served as subjects and were randomly assigned to either the treatment or control group. The coping skills training program utilized instruction, modeling, and behavior rehearsal to teach skills for dealing with negative emotional states, interpersonal conflict, and social pressure to drink. Subjects in the control group participated in lecture and discussion about the disease concept of alcoholism and the effects of alcoholism on the family. Each subject was administered the Situational Confidence Questionnaire (SCQ), the Rosenberg Self Esteem Scale (RSE), and the Adaptive Skills Battery (ASB) upon entering residential treatment, immediately following the experimental interventions, and again one week later. Multivariate analysis of variance was used to analyze the data. The results indicated that (a) there were not significant group differences between subjects in the coping skills training program and subjects in the lecture/discussion group on overall self-efficacy or self esteem, (b) there were significant differences between the two groups on the negative emotions/frustrations subscale of the SCO and on level of coping skill, °(c) there was a low but significant correlation between the SCQ and the ASB and between the SCQ and the RSE, and (d) both groups demonstrated significant improvement on all three dependent measures across time. These findings were discussed in relation to Bandura's (1977) self-efficacy theory and its application to an alcoholic population. Implications of the results for future research are also discussed.