Cue reactivity during treatment, and not impulsivity, predicts an initial lapse after treatment in alcohol use disorders

Both cue-elicited craving and impulsivity have been involved in alcohol misuse. However, their role in relapse has not been very clear. In the present study, we ask whether cue-elicited craving, impulsivity, and their interaction term predict a lapse in problem drinkers. Participants (n=20) were former patients of the clinic, U-Center, in the Netherlands, who had completed a six-week alcohol treatment program and had an abstinence goal. While in treatment, they underwent a cue exposure paradigm in a real alcohol-related setting and their trait impulsivity was measured with the Barratt Impulsiveness Scale version 11 (BIS-11). During the follow-up assessment, patients were contacted again and asked about their alcohol drinking behavior during the first three months after the end of the treatment program. It was found that higher craving and lower trait impulsivity levels are associated with a higher probability of a lapse.