Acknowledging the crucial role of Max Glatt in the development of the Jellinek curve and the enduring relevance of his model of recovery from problem drinking
Corresponding Author
Kevin McInerney
Faculty of Social Sciences and Education (FSSE), Leeds Trinity University, Leeds, UK
Correspondence
Kevin McInerney, Faculty of Social Sciences and Education (FSSE), Leeds Trinity University, Brownberrie Lane, Horsforth, Leeds, LS18 5HD, UK.
Email: [email protected]
Contribution: Conceptualization (lead), Investigation (lead), Methodology (lead), Project administration (lead), Visualization (lead), Writing - original draft (lead), Writing - review & editing (lead)
Search for more papers by this authorDavid Best
Faculty of Social Sciences and Education (FSSE), Leeds Trinity University, Leeds, UK
Contribution: Conceptualization (supporting), Investigation (supporting), Supervision (lead), Writing - original draft (supporting), Writing - review & editing (supporting)
Search for more papers by this authorCorresponding Author
Kevin McInerney
Faculty of Social Sciences and Education (FSSE), Leeds Trinity University, Leeds, UK
Correspondence
Kevin McInerney, Faculty of Social Sciences and Education (FSSE), Leeds Trinity University, Brownberrie Lane, Horsforth, Leeds, LS18 5HD, UK.
Email: [email protected]
Contribution: Conceptualization (lead), Investigation (lead), Methodology (lead), Project administration (lead), Visualization (lead), Writing - original draft (lead), Writing - review & editing (lead)
Search for more papers by this authorDavid Best
Faculty of Social Sciences and Education (FSSE), Leeds Trinity University, Leeds, UK
Contribution: Conceptualization (supporting), Investigation (supporting), Supervision (lead), Writing - original draft (supporting), Writing - review & editing (supporting)
Search for more papers by this authorFunding information: The authors received no financial support for the research, authorship and/or publication of this article.
Abstract
Background and Aims
Shortly after Max Glatt published a ‘Chart of Alcohol Addiction and Recovery’ in 1954, a misnomer emerged and it became known as the ‘Jellinek Curve’. The current article aims to investigate the contributions that both Max Glatt and Morton Jellinek made towards the misnamed ‘Jellinek Curve’, how the misnomer may have emerged and the relevance of Jellinek's addiction concept and Glatt's model of recovery with contemporary theories of addiction and recovery.
Method
Warlingham Park Hospital housed the first residential alcohol detoxification and rehabilitation unit in the UK's National Health Service, a model created and developed by Max Glatt. Much of the data that informed Glatt's model came from ex-Warlingham Park Hospital patients in recovery. The current article assumes an ethnographic approach. Literature searches were undertaken and the Warlingham Park Hospital archives were scrutinized.
Conclusions
Max Glatt's ‘Chart of Alcohol Addiction and Recovery’ has mistakenly been referred to as the ‘Jellinek Curve’ for the last seven decades. ‘The Matthew Effect’ presents a possible explanation for the misnomer: the notion that eminent scientists are likely to receive greater credit than lesser-known scientists, regardless of their contribution. The recovery slope of Glatt's ‘Chart’ may be just as relevant today as when it was first published.
Open Research
DATA AVAILABILITY STATEMENT
Data sharing not applicable to this article as no datasets were generated or analysed during the current study.
Supporting Information
| Filename | Description |
|---|---|
| add70053-sup-0001-Supplementary_Appendix_1.docxWord 2007 document , 593.4 KB |
Appendix S1. Jellinek’s ‘Phases of Alcohol Addiction’. |
| add70053-sup-0002-Supplementary_Appendix_2.docxWord 2007 document , 394.9 KB |
Appendix S2. Glatt’s Chart of Alcohol Addiction and Recovery (First Edition). |
| add70053-sup-0003-Supplementary_Appendix_3.docxWord 2007 document , 743.2 KB |
Appendix S3. Glatt’s edit to Jellinek’s (1952) phases and symptoms. |
| add70053-sup-0004-Supplementary_Appendix_4.docxWord 2007 document , 22.9 KB |
Appendix S4. Steps on Glatt’s Recovery Slope. |
Please note: The publisher is not responsible for the content or functionality of any supporting information supplied by the authors. Any queries (other than missing content) should be directed to the corresponding author for the article.
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