Sobering Stories: Narratives of Self-Redemption Predict Behavioral Change and Improved Health Among Recovering Alcoholics
Sobering Stories: Narratives of Self-Redemption Predict Behavioral Change and Improved Health Among Recovering Alcoholics
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DOI：
10.1037/a0031185
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发表时间：
2013-03-01
影响因子：
7.6
通讯作者：
Tracy, Jessica L.
中科院分区：
文献类型：
--
作者：
Dunlop, William L.;Tracy, Jessica L.
本研究探讨了是否生产的叙事包含自我救赎（其中叙述者描述了一个积极的性格变化后，消极的经验）预测积极的行为变化。在研究1中，我们比较了戒酒4年以上的酗酒者和戒酒6个月或更短的酗酒者的叙述，在描述他们的最后一次饮酒时，前者比后者更有可能产生包含自我救赎的叙述。在研究2中，我们采用纵向设计，通过跟踪研究1中新清醒的酗酒者，研究了自我救赎职业与行为变化之间的关系。虽然在最初的评估中没有区别，但与产生非救赎性叙述的新清醒的酗酒者相比，那些叙述包括自我救赎的新清醒的酗酒者在接下来的几个月里更有可能保持清醒; 83%的救赎性组在评估之间保持清醒，而非救赎性参与者为44%。研究2中的救赎参与者也表现出相对于非救赎组的健康改善。在这两项研究中，自我救赎对清醒和健康的影响是在控制了相关的人格特征、酒精依赖、康复计划参与、最初的身心健康以及其他叙事主题之后进行的。总的来说，这些结果表明，自我救赎叙事的产生可能会刺激长期的行为变化，从而表明一个潜在的可修改的心理过程，表现出对成瘾的恢复产生重大影响。
The present research examined whether the production of a narrative containing self-redemption (wherein the narrator describes a positive personality change following a negative experience) predicts positive behavioral change. In Study 1, we compared the narratives of alcoholics who had maintained their sobriety for over 4 years with those of alcoholics who had been sober 6 months or less. When describing their last drink, the former were significantly more likely to produce a narrative containing self-redemption than the latter. In Study 2, we examined the relation between the profession of self-redemption and behavioral change using a longitudinal design, by following the newly sober alcoholics from Study 1 over time. Although indistinguishable at initial assessment, newly sober alcoholics whose narratives included self-redemption were substantially more likely to maintain sobriety in the following months, compared to newly sober alcoholics who produced nonredemptive narratives; 83% of the redemptive group maintained sobriety between assessments, compared to 44% of nonredemptive participants. Redemptive participants in Study 2 also demonstrated improved health relative to the nonredemptive group. In both studies, the effects of self-redemption on sobriety and health held after controlling for relevant personality traits, alcohol dependence, recovery program involvement, initial physical and mental health, and additional narrative themes. Collectively, these results suggest that the production of a self-redemptive narrative may stimulate prolonged behavioral change and thus indicate a potentially modifiable psychological process that exhibits a major influence on recovery from addiction.