Relapse prevention treatment for cocaine dependence: group vs. individual format

Area of Science:

• Addiction Medicine
• Clinical Psychology
• Psychotherapy Research

Background:

• Relapse prevention (RP) is crucial for sustained recovery in cocaine dependence.
• Understanding the impact of treatment modality on RP effectiveness is essential for optimizing patient care.

Purpose of the Study:

• To compare the efficacy of group-based relapse prevention (G-RP) versus individually based relapse prevention (I-RP) for cocaine-dependent subjects.
• To assess the influence of treatment format on cocaine use, psychosocial functioning, and relapse rates.

Main Methods:

• 32 cocaine-dependent subjects were randomized into G-RP or I-RP cohorts.
• Both formats included 12 outpatient sessions over 2 months post-hospitalization.
• Cocaine use, addiction severity, coping skills, and craving were assessed during and after treatment.

Main Results:

• No significant differences in cocaine-free urines between G-RP and I-RP at treatment end.
• G-RP subjects reported fewer cocaine use days and fewer cocaine-related problems during treatment.
• No significant differences in cocaine use outcomes at 12 and 24 weeks post-treatment between formats.
• Both RP formats led to sustained improvements in addiction severity, coping, and craving.

Conclusions:

• The format of relapse prevention therapy (group vs. individual) does not significantly impact long-term cocaine abstinence.
• Both G-RP and I-RP are effective in improving psychosocial functioning and reducing cocaine use.
• Relapse prevention training is effective regardless of the delivery format, highlighting the importance of the content over modality.