Motivational Structure of Alcoholic and Nonalcoholic Czech Men

This investigation examined the motivational structures of 26 patients diagnosed with alcoholism in comparison to 30 demographically similar technical university students. Responding to the Motivational Structure Questionnaire, the clinical group listed 40% fewer goals, responded as if they needed richer incentives to form strong commitments to goal striving, displayed marginally less average commitment to their goals, and, after other variables were partialled out, expressed less ability to influence the course of goal attainment. There were no differences in their scores on over-all subjective probability of success, the time frame for goal attainment, and their relative scores on anticipated positive and negative emotions and ambivalence. The results suggest group differences in the effects of brain-reward mechanisms.