Using Telephone Technology to Prevent Relapse After Alcoholism Treatment

Relapse rates in the first few months following substance abuse treatment are as high as
50%, in spite of the immediate effectiveness of treatments such as Cognitive Behavioral
Therapy (CBT). Continuing use of therapy skills following treatment is associated with
maintenance of treatment gains. We have programmed a telephone to deliver pre-recorded
summaries and rehearsal sessions of skills learned in therapy. The system also includes
monthly feedback messages from therapists. We expect that this ad-lib access to therapy
skills would allow patients to generalize skills to their personal post-treatment lives. It
would also allow individuals in remote or rural areas to obtain access to assistance without
travel barriers.

Comparison(s): patients completing group CBT for substance abuse will be randomly assigned
to two conditions. In one condition, patients will have unlimited access to the therapeutic
telephone system for 4 months. The other condition is standard care (i.e., no formal
relapse prevention).