It is worthwhile to comment on the high rate of remission in these subjects. These probands had many of the factors associated with relatively good prognoses in alcoholics, including higher education, good job skills, generally supportive families, the absence of severe antisocial behaviors, the low rate of drug dependence, and few independent psychiatric disorders (e.g. Bischoff et al., 2003; Boschloo et al., 2012; Moos, 2007; Satre et al., 2012). In light of the fact that the lifetime rate of AUDs in middle class and more affluent men is similar to the general population rate, the current subjects may be more representative of the course of remission in the usual alcoholic than are treatment samples, especially those from studies that recruit subjects from treatment centers that serve the indigent or individuals with multiple psychosocial stressors.
