DEVELOPMENT OF A BEHAVIOR ANALYTICALLY DERIVED ALCOHOL-SPECIFIC ROLE-PLAY ASSESSMENT INSTRUMENT

Social learning theory postulates that chronic alcohol abusers may hav e deficits in ability to cope with stressful situations, and these def icits may be associated with relapse after treatment. Attempts to stud y the hypothesized deficits have been hampered by methodological probl ems. Therefore, a behavior analytic procedure was used to develop 10 c ategories of situations based on over 600 drinking situations elicited from alcoholics. Role plays were developed for each of these categori es, and samples of alcoholics in treatment were asked to respond as if they were trying not to drink. Videotaped responses were behaviorally rated by trained judges for skill and anxiety, and subjects completed self-report ratings of urge to drink, anxiety, difficulty and skill a fter each role play. Good interrater reliabilities and internal consis tency were found across three samples of alcoholics, with virtually no gender differences. Previous and current investigations show the vali dity and utility of this instrument. The Alcohol Specific Role Play Te st therefore shows promise as a means of assessing alcoholics' reactio ns to high-risk situations.