As we await a successful model of the etiology of alcoholism, research
and intervention strategies founder. The author critically reviews the
present etiologic models, particularly those bearing on alcoholic
personality. The central shortcoming of these models is that they pay only
lip service to the multidimensional etiology of alcoholism. Hereditary,
environmental, and psychostructural risk factors have never been adequately
integrated into any one design. The author explains the difficulties that
this problem and others have introduced into the previous etiologic
research. In the conclusion, he constructs a new model from the positive
findings thus far. This, in turn, suggests the studies needed next and has
definite diagnostic and therapeutic implications.Abstract Teaser