Temptation minus self-efficacy in alcohol relapse: A project match follow-up

Objective: Relapse is a crucial event that occurs for many individuals during recovery from alcohol use disorder. This article examines the impact of temptation to drink and self-efficacy to abstain on two distinct aspects of relapse. Causal chain analyses from Project MATCH, a multisite alcoholism treatment trial, provided initial support for the difference between temptation and self-efficacy as a predictor of alcohol use outcomes. In the current study, the Temptation minus Self-Efficacy (T-S) score from the Alcohol Abstinence Self-Efficacy Scale (AASE) is investigated as a predictor of two alcohol use outcomes that were not analyzed in previous Project MATCH reports. Method: This study evaluated the ability of end-of-treatment T-S (calculated as Temptation minus Self-Efficacy scores on AASE) to predict time to first drink and number of drinks on first drinking day. Data were analyzed on 627 participants from Project MATCH who relapsed after completing treatment and achieving a period of abstinence. Results: T-S at end of treatment was a significant predictor of two alcohol use outcomes during the 1-year follow-up period. In addition, situation-specific subscale scores of T-S predicted alcohol use outcomes. T-S in social/positive situations predicted time to first drink. T-S in negative affect situations predicted number of drinks on first drinking day. Conclusions: Results support end-of-treatment measurement discrepancy between AASE scales of Temptation and Abstinence Self-Efficacy as a predictor of time to first drink and number of drinks on first drinking day among individuals who relapse after treatment.