Retinoid antagonist compounds have been found to be useful in the prevention and/or minimization of surgical adhesion formation. Also provided by the invention are certain novel substituted (5,6)-dihydronaphthalenyl compounds which are retinoid antagonists and possess the above-mentioned property in addition to their use as antiinflammatory agents for chronic skin inflammatory diseases, as agents for the treatment of rheumatic diseases and as agents for the treatment of various tumors as well as non-malignant proliferative skin conditions.