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Abstinence after stationary qualified withdrawal treatment for alcohol dependent patients Objective: The aim of the study was to determine the relapse rate after a qualified withdrawal treatment (QE), developed in interdisciplinary collaboration, for alcohol dependent patients and to identify risk factors for a relapse. Methods: In this naturalistic study, all patients were invited to a clinical interview at the beginning and the end of the therapy as well as one year after completion of the treatment. In addition, the electronic health records (EPA) were searched for relevant variables predicting relapse. Results: The percentage of premature termination of the treatment (6.67 %) was low. The relapse rate (reference time window of two years after the qualified withdrawal treatment) was 56.67 %. The placement rate to long term treatment amounted to 26.67 %. Risk factors for relapse, such as the number of previous withdrawals or the duration of alcohol dependency could be identified. Moreover, especially a high psychosocial burden was a significant predictor. Conclusion: The newly developed program for a qualified withdrawal treatment yields comparable relapse rates as those found in other studies. The psychosocial situation of the alcohol dependent patient should be carefully examined in order to adapt the therapeutic strategies accordingly. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]