title: Naltrexone and coping skills therapy for alcohol dependence. A controlled study.
abstract: Ninety-seven alcohol-dependent patients were treated for 12 weeks in a double-blind, placebo-controlled study evaluating naltrexone and two manual guided psychotherapies in the treatment of alcohol dependence. Patients were randomized to receive either naltrexone or placebo and either coping skills/relapse prevention therapy or a supportive therapy designed to support the patient's own efforts at abstinence without teaching specific coping skills. Naltrexone proved superior to placebo in measures of drinking and alcohol-related problems, including abstention rates, number of drinking days, relapse, and severity of alcohol-related problems. Medication interacted with the type of psychotherapy received. The cumulative rate of abstinence was highest for patients treated with naltrexone and supportive therapy. For those patients who initiated drinking, however, patients who received naltrexone and coping skills therapy were the least likely to relapse.
authors.affiliation: Department of Psychiatry, Yale University School of Medicine, New Haven, Conn. 06511.
authors.forename: S S
authors.initials: SS
authors.lastname: O'Malley
authors.forename: A J
authors.initials: AJ
authors.lastname: Jaffe
authors.forename: G
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Chang
authors.forename: R S
authors.initials: RS
authors.lastname: Schottenfeld
authors.forename: R E
authors.initials: RE
authors.lastname: Meyer
authors.forename: B
authors.initials: B
authors.lastname: Rounsaville
mesh_terms: D000223:Adaptation, Psychological; D000328:Adult; D000428:Alcohol Drinking; D000437:Alcoholism / Q000188:drug therapy / Q000523:psychology / Q000628:therapy*; D003131:Combined Modality Therapy; D004311:Double-Blind Method; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D009271:Naltrexone / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D009629:Person-Centered Psychotherapy; D010919:Placebos; D011569:Psychiatric Status Rating Scales; D011613:Psychotherapy / Q000379:methods*; D012008:Recurrence; D012720:Severity of Illness Index; D013695:Temperance
chemical_list: D010919:Placebos; D009271:Naltrexone