Relapse prevention: From radical idea to common practice

Abstract

The term “relapse prevention” drew great criticism and was not generally accepted when it was initially introduced in the early 1980s. The idea of talking with clients about the possibility of relapse was an incredibly radical idea until the pioneering work on relapse prevention by Alan Marlatt and his colleagues challenged the prevailing disease conceptualization of addictions and provided a revolutionary perspective that focused on understanding the factors contributing to and maintaining addiction. Today, relapse prevention is both a manualized treatment and a general treatment strategy that has been implemented in addiction treatment centers around the world. The theory and practice of relapse prevention has emerged as one of the most prominent and pervasive approaches in the treatment of addictive behaviors and stands as one of Alan Marlatt's most notable and longest-lasting contributions to the field. This article provides a review of the development, adaptation, and dissemination of relapse prevention over the past 30 years and also provides some ideas for the future of relapse prevention in research and treatment.

• Relapse
• relapse prevention
• substance use disorders
• behavior change