Md. Kilgus et Aj. Pumariega, EXPERIMENTAL MANIPULATION OF COCAINE CRAVING BY VIDEOTAPED ENVIRONMENTAL CUES, Southern medical journal, 87(11), 1994, pp. 1138-1140
Thirteen male patients consecutively admitted to an inpatient drug and
alcohol rehabilitation hospital with the primary diagnosis of crack c
ocaine dependence were shown a 30-minute videotape that included salie
nt environmental cues intended to elicit cocaine craving. The subjects
were tested before and after the videotape by the use of a continuous
20-cm analogue visual instrument that asks them to rate their perceiv
ed degree of craving, mood, energy, and wellness. Only craving showed
a statistically significant change from pretest to posttest. Correlati
ons among the four separate ratings suggest that mood and craving are
different dimensions that independently contribute to one's general se
nse of well-being. This study demonstrates that cocaine craving can be
induced in a group setting by presenting certain visual and auditory
cues on a video monitor. The procedure of obtaining self-ratings in re
sponse to videotaped environmental cues could be easily incorporated i
nto research methods designed to assess pharmacologic efficacy in redu
cing the intense craving that reinforces addiction.