The final LTA was conducted with alcohol dependence, defined by the number of alcohol-dependence symptoms, included as a predictor of drinking-class membership and transitioning between drinking classes. As shown in Table 3, alcohol dependence was significantly related to class membership in the outpatient sample at all time points, with each additional symptom of alcohol dependence decreasing the odds of expected membership in the moderate-drinking class, as compared with both the heavy-drinking and nondrinking classes. Immediately after treatment, each additional symptom of alcohol dependence decreased the odds of expected membership in nondrinking classes, compared with heavy drinking. In the aftercare sample, each additional symptom of dependence was associated with lower odds of expected class membership in the moderate or nondrinking classes, in comparison with the heavy-drinking class, although these relationships were statistically significant only at 6 months.
