CUE REACTIVITY AS A PREDICTOR OF DRINKING AMONG MALE ALCOHOLICS

Social learning theories suggest that conditioned responses may increa se the risk for relapse. Responses to alcohol use cues (cue reactivity ) are associated with variables suggestive of risk but little research exists on the relationship of cue reactivity to treatment outcome. Al coholic men admitted for detoxification to a treatment program (n = 45 ) underwent a cue reactivity assessment protocol, and 91% received 3-m onth follow-up interviews. Greater salivary reactivity predicted great er frequency of drinking during follow-up. Attentional factors added i ndependent variance to the prediction of drinking outcome, with greate r attention to stimulus or to response predicting less drinking. Cue r eactivity did not predict length of hospital stay or latency to first drink. Results are discussed in the context of information processing, social learning theories, and clinical implications for relapse preve ntion.