title: Role of aggressivity on reactivity and craving before and after cue exposure in recently detoxified alcoholics: results from an experimental study.
abstract: The role of aggressivity and cue exposure in induction of craving were investigated in a clinical setting. Thirty abstinent alcoholic patients were divided into a low and a high aggressive group based on scores on the physical aggression subscale of the Buss-Durkee Hostility Inventory and exposed to alcohol cues. Craving was measured by means of the Alcohol Craving Questionnaire (ACQ) and Visual Analogue Scales (VAS). Important findings are: (1) main effects of aggressivity on 'emotionality', 'purposefulness' and 'expectancy' of ACQ were very significant; (2) on 'drinking intention' and 'craving for alcohol' of VAS, aggressivity and cue exposure showed a significant interaction; (3) the main effect of cue exposure on heart rate also reached a significance level of 0.007. The results were discussed in the context of the Classical, Operant Conditioning Theory, the Cognitive Craving Theory of Tiffany, Gilbert's STAR Model, and the Self-Medication Hypothesis.
authors.affiliation: Psychiatric Hospital of Munich University, Munich, Germany.
authors.forename: S S
authors.initials: SS
authors.lastname: Chiang
authors.forename: C G
authors.initials: CG
authors.lastname: Schuetz
authors.forename: M
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Soyka
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D000374:Aggression / Q000523:psychology*; D000428:Alcohol Drinking / Q000009:adverse effects; D000437:Alcoholism / Q000523:psychology*; D003463:Cues; D006339:Heart Rate; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D009042:Motivation; D011569:Psychiatric Status Rating Scales; D055502:Secondary Prevention; D013375:Substance Withdrawal Syndrome / Q000523:psychology; D013695:Temperance / Q000523:psychology; D013997:Time Factors