Beer and Wine as incentives in a Work Therapy Program

This study explores the efficacy of using beer and wine as incentives for mental patients in a work therapy program. Forty-five patients in a paid-work program at Boston State Hospital were randomly divided into two major groups. One continued to attend weekly vocational meetings held in a formal, businesslike atmosphere, while the other met in the hospital pub and was served beer or wine. After 12 weeks, comparisons between the two groups showed a trend for the drinking group to perform consistently better than the nondrinking group. The study suggests that a supervised pub can be a therapeutic tool in the rehabilitation of patients.