RELATIONSHIP BETWEEN SELF-EFFICACY PERCEPTIONS AND IN-TREATMENT DRUG-USE AMONG REGULAR COCAINE USERS

The perceived ability to engage in situation-specific behaviors (self- efficacy) to overcome nicotine dependence and alcohol abuse has been s hown to correlate significantly with and be predictive of the actual a bility to engage in such behaviors. Self-efficacy is also related to s ubsequent behavior change during treatment and maintenance of this cha nge after treatment termination. In this study, part of a national out come study, the relationship between self-efficacy and drug use was in vestigated in a subsample of regular cocaine users (n = 294) who compl eted at least three months of treatment in community-based outpatient treatment programs. Frequency of cocaine and other drug use was report ed for the period of 1 year before treatment and at 1 month and 3 mont hs in treatment. Self-efficacy regarding resisting drug use was measur ed at 1 and 3 months in treatment. Self-efficacy at 1 month was correl ated with cocaine use at 1 month and self-efficacy contributed to the prediction of self-reported drug use at 1 month over and above pretrea tment and demographic variables. Similarly, self-efficacy at 3 months was correlated with cocaine use at 3 months and contributed to the pre diction of self-reported drug use at 3 months. These outcomes were obt ained even though over 75% of subjects reported no drug use during tre atment. The results supported previous findings suggesting that increa sed self-efficacy regarding resisting drug use is associated with lowe r rates of drug use during treatment, and that self-efficacy enhanceme nt may be an important intervention in the treatment of cocaine use.