Attitudes of Nurses Toward Alcoholics
Authors:   , Butts Mary 
Published: February 2023

The purpose of the researcher was to investigate attitudes of nurses toward alcoholics. The independent variables were; when formal education was received, formal education pertaining to alcoholism, type of position and alcoholism in the family. Dependent variables were emotional difficulties, loss of control, prognosis for recovery, the alcoholic as a steady drinker, character defect, social status, alcoholism as an illness, harmless voluntary indulgence and addiction liability. Five composite null hypotheses were tested. A total of 261 comparisons were made of which 126 were recurring. Of the 135 comparisons 17 were statistically significant at the .05 level (six main effects and 11 interactions). The results of the present study appear to support the following generalizations: 1. For the dependent variable loss of control, nurses from the following groups reported an attitude more conductive to diagnosis and referral: a) Formal education completed during 1979 through 1983, b) Those who completed diploma programs, c) Those who completed diploma and bachelor of science degree programs and reported no alcoholism in the family, d) Those who completed an associate degree program and reported alcoholism in the family. 2. For the dependent variable prognosis for recovery nurses from the following groups reported an attitude more conducive to diagnosis and referral: a) Those who reported alcoholism in the family, b) Those who reported alcoholism in the family with no formal alcoholism education. 3. For the dependent variable the alcoholic as a steady drinker nurses from the following groups reported an attitude more conducive to diagnosis and referral: a) Those who had no formal alcoholism education, b) Those who completed diploma and bachelor of science degree programs and reported no alcoholism in the family, c) Those who completed diploma programs, d) Those who completed diploma programs and had formal alcoholism education, e) Those who completed associate degree and bachelor of science degree programs and had no formal alcoholism education. 4. For the dependent variable alcoholism as a character defect nurses from the following groups reported an attitude more conducive to diagnosis and referral: a) Those who completed formal education prior to 1979 and had formal alcoholism education, b) Those who completed formal education after 1983 and had no formal alcoholism education, c) Those who completed a diploma and associate degree programs and reported alcoholism in the family, d) Those who completed bachelor of science programs and reported no alcoholism in the family, e) Those who completed an associate degree program, reported alcoholism in the family and had formal alcoholism education, f) Those who completed a bachelor of science degree program, had formal alcoholism education and reported no alcoholism in the family, g) Those who completed a diploma program, had formal alcoholism education and reported alcoholism in the family, h) Those who worked on an alcoholism treatment unit. 5. For the dependent variable alcoholism as an illness nurses from the following groups reported an attitude more conducive to diagnosis and referral: a) Those who completed formal education prior to 1979 and had formal alcoholism education, b) Those who completed formal education after 1979 and had no formal alcoholism education. 6. For the dependent variable addiction liability nurses from the following groups reported an attitude more conducive to diagnosis and referral: a) Those who completed formal education prior to 1979 and reported alcoholism in the family, b) Those who completed formal education after 1979 and reported no alcoholism in the family, c) Those who completed a diploma program and had formal alcoholism education, d) Those who completed associate degree and bachelor of science degree programs and reported no formal alcoholism education.