A CONDITIONING REINTERPRETATION OF COGNITIVE EVENTS IN ALCOHOL AND DRUG CUE EXPOSURE

Cue exposure treatments of alcohol and substance abuse disorders are b ased on a classical conditioning model of drug use and relapse. Recent ly, social learning theory has been utilized to explain the relationsh ip of cognitive constructs (i.e., self-efficacy, outcome expectations) to measures of cue reactivity. However, social learning theory has no t provided clear and testable mechanisms by which cognitions influence behavior. This paper proposes a mechanism, based on principles of cla ssical conditioning, whereby cognitions may influence reactivity to al cohol and drug cues. This view of cognitions within a conditioning fra mework has several important implications for cue exposure research an d treatment.