The Abstinence Violation Effect and Circumstances Surrounding Relapse as Predictors of Outcome Status in Male Alcoholic Outpatients

Summary

The hypothesis that the cultural delusion among alcoholics—that “one drink makes a drunk”—is critical in determining how the individual copes with a “slip” was examined in a sample of 82 outpatient alcoholics taking part in an abstinence-based alcohol-recovery program. No evidence was found to suggest that the cultural delusion, as measured by the Schaeffer questionnaire, was a factor in predicting postslip drinking behavior. However, circumstances surrounding the first drink—mood state, time of day, place, company, and the number of drinks taken in that session—predicted future drinking status.