Purpose: This study aimed to evaluate a communication skills program based on nonviolent communication targeted on inpatient alcoholics at the alcoholics specialized ward.
Design and methods: The sample for this mixed methods quasi-experimental study comprised 47 patients who were hospitalized in the alcoholic wards of two psychiatric hospitals in South Korea.
Findings: The program effectively improved participants' empathy, anger expression, communication competence, and alcohol abstinence self-efficacy (p < .001).
Practice implications: This program could be implemented in community-based alcoholic care with the aim of preventing relapse and serve as the basis for developing similar programs for family members.
Keywords: abstinence self-efficacy; alcoholics; anger; empathy; nonviolent communication.
© 2020 Wiley Periodicals LLC.