Abstinence Violation Effect AVE What It Is & Relapse Prevention Strategies

The results of this study showed that cognitive-behavioral intervention increased the mean score of high-risk relapse situations in the intervention group compared to the control group. In explaining these findings, it can be argued that this approach helps prevent and reduce relapse by accurately classifying high-risk situations, and after identifying these situations, the therapist reduces the risk of smoking relapse by analyzing the patient’s responses to high-risk situations. The study conducted by Alamdarloo et al. indicated that the depression, anxiety, and stress of Iranian males with addiction as an internal high-risk situation were reduced through cognitive-behavioral therapy 21. In addition, in the study of Bordbar, CBT helped reduce anxiety in individuals by changing one’s attitude, increasing self-efficacy and self-esteem, as well as changes in coping strategies 22.

Supplementary Material 2

It stems from the belief that individuals who establish strict rules of abstinence may be more vulnerable to relapse when faced with a violation of those rules. AVE can be observed in various areas, including addictions, dietary restrictions, and impulse control. Among the limitations of the present study were the self-reported constructs of Marlatt’s model, which is influenced by many influential factors such as the tendency of the participants to answer socially friendly answers.

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As a result, the AVE can trigger a cycle of further relapse and continued substance use, since people may turn to substances as a way to cope with the emotional distress. Another example is Taylor, who has been doing a wonderful job taking walks and engaging in healthier eating. Taylor uses an app to watch her intake of calorie limit and does see positive outcomes to her new lifestyle.

Normalize Relapse

• In a study conducted by Ashouri et al., entitled the effectiveness of cognitive-behavioral group therapy on improving coping skills and relapse prevention in addicts, the groups of intervention and control were significantly different in the level of problem-based coping strategies in the post-test phase 29.
• It’s important to establish that a one-time lapse in a person’s recovery from drugs or alcohol is not considered a full blown relapse.
• In explaining these findings, it can be argued that this approach helps prevent and reduce relapse by accurately classifying high-risk situations, and after identifying these situations, the therapist reduces the risk of smoking relapse by analyzing the patient’s responses to high-risk situations.
• The results showed that there is a significant difference between the lapse rate in the intervention group compared to the control group immediately, one week and three months after the intervention.

In a study by Salehi et al., the findings showed that training, based on the Marlatt model, had significant effects on self-efficacy in opiate-dependent individuals 27. In the study conducted by Abdollahi et al., individuals with higher self-efficacy could maintain abstinence violation effect abstinence for a longer period than those with low self-efficacy 28. Another study showed that those who had not relapsed had higher self-efficacy and better social support than those who had relapsed 29. The data collection tool was a questionnaire based on Marlatt’s Cognitive-Behavioral Model constructs on smoking relapse prevention.

As the abstinence violation effect has such a profound impact on the likelihood of relapse, its aspects must be integrated into treatments for substance use disorders 32. The results of this study revealed that cognitive-behavioral education based on Marlatt’s model increased the mean score of the abstinence violation effect in the intervention group immediately, one week, and three months after the intervention, much higher than that of the control group. In this regard, it can be said that relapses strongly suggest that the primary causes of relapse are often internal, constant, general, and uncontrollable, proving their subsequent smoking and ultimate relapse.

• In the multifaceted journey of overcoming addiction and living a healthier life, individuals often encounter a psychological phenomenon known as the abstinence violation effect (AVE).
• The results of this study showed that there was a significant difference between the 2 groups in terms of internal and external self-efficacy immediately, one week and three months after intervention.
• Triggers include cravings, problematic thought patterns, and external cues or situations, all of which can contribute to increased self-efficacy (a sense of personal confidence, identity, and control) when properly managed.

NEARBY TERMS

Cognitive-behavioral intervention is effective in reducing cigarette smoking, high-risk situations of smoking, abstinence violation effect, positive outcome expectation of smoking lapse and relapse and increasing self-efficacy, coping skills, and quitting smoking. One of the special intervention strategies of the Marlatt model to prevent relapse is increasing self-efficacy through the cognitive-behavioral analysis of the situation and the training of the individual’s effective coping responses in high-risk situations 23. AVE occurs when someone who is striving for abstinence from a particular behavior or substance experiences a setback, such as a lapse or relapse. Instead of viewing the incident as a temporary setback, the individual perceives it as evidence of personal failure, leading to increased feelings of guilt, shame, and hopelessness (Collins & Witkiewitz, 2013; Larimer, Palmer, & Marlatt, 1999). It can impact someone who is trying to be abstinent from alcohol and Halfway house drug use in addition to someone trying to make positive changes to their diet, exercise, and other aspects of their lives. In the journey of overcoming addiction and or abstaining from an unwanted behavior, individuals often encounter a psychological phenomenon known as the abstinence violation effect (AVE).

Understand The Relapse Process

It should be noted that the number of cigarettes consumed daily was measured by a three-choice including less than 10, 10 to 20 and more than 20 cigarettes question (i.e. how many cigarettes do you smoke a day on average? ). To evaluate the content validity of the questionnaire, Content Validity Ratio (CVR) and Content Validity Index (CVI) were applied, the mean score of which was determined 0.95 and 0.92, respectively. To check face validity, the questionnaire was provided to 10 health education and health promotion, psychologist, and smoking cessation counselor specialists, followed by necessary modifications in the initial questions. The reliability of the questionnaire was examined by using a test-retest method among 35 people who smoke outside the intervention group at an interval of two weeks. In addition, its internal consistency was assessed by using Cronbach’s alpha coefficient. Both the Intra-class Correlation Coefficient (ICC) and Cronbach’s alpha coefficient of the whole instrument were equal to 0.93.