Relapse-onset factors in Project MATCH: the Relapse Questionnaire

Area of Science:

• Addiction research
• Psychological assessment
• Clinical psychology

Background:

• Relapse triggers in alcohol use disorder are complex.
• Existing relapse measures lack empirical validation.
• Differentiating relapse types may reveal treatment differences.

Purpose of the Study:

• To develop an empirically derived scoring method for the Relapse Questionnaire.
• To identify distinct factors of alcohol relapse onset.
• To examine differential treatment effects on specific relapse types.

Main Methods:

• Factor analysis of Project MATCH data.
• Analysis of relapse triggers and severity.
• Comparison of treatment outcomes across relapse types.

Main Results:

• Three factors emerged: Negative Affect/Family Influences, Craving/Cued, and Social Pressure.
• Social pressure relapses were found to be most likely to repeat.
• Negative affect relapses were associated with greater severity.
• Motivational Enhancement Therapy offered less protection against social pressure relapses than CBT or 12-Step Facilitation.

Conclusions:

• The derived scoring method provides an empirical basis for understanding alcohol relapse.
• Relapse typing can uncover treatment effects missed by generic measures.
• Cognitive-Behavioral Coping Skills Therapy and Twelve-Step Facilitation Therapy appear more effective for social pressure-induced relapses.