A controlled trial of cue exposure treatment in alcohol dependence

The clinical effectiveness of cue exposure (CE) treatment in alcohol dependence was evaluated in a controlled trial. Thirty-five men who were detoxified and severely alcohol dependent received either CE or relaxation control (RC) treatment. CE Ss had 400 min exposure to the sight and smell of preferred drinks over 10 days in a laboratory setting. RC Ss spent identical time in the laboratory but had relaxation therapy and only 20 min exposure to alcohol cues. During 6-month follow-up, personal interview was achieved with 91% of Ss. CE Ss had a more favorable outcome than the RC Ss in terms of latency (length of time) to relapse of heavy drinking (p < .01) and total alcohol consumption (p < .05). Significant predictors of latency to heavy drinking and dependence included skin conductance level (p < .001) and experimental condition (p < .01). Results point to the potential importance of cue exposure as a treatment for addictive behavior.