Personality, stress, and social support in cocaine relapse prediction

This study identified prospective psychosocial predictors of relapse status and drug abuse severity in male subjects in the first year after residential treatment for cocaine dependence. Personality, stress, and social support measures from an intake assessment, and stress and support measures reflecting status during the three-month period prior to the one in which relapse was identified were used as predictors. A number of hypotheses were confirmed. Detached personality and stress predicted both cocaine relapse and outcome drug abuse severity. Perceived social support quality and social network size predicted cocaine relapse. Implications for relapse prevention are presented.