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Evaluation of a Group Cue-Exposure Treatment for Opiate Addicts

Published online by Cambridge University Press:  10 April 2014

Mónica Bernaldo de Quirós Aragón*
Affiliation:
Universidad Complutense de Madrid
Francisco J. Labrador
Affiliation:
Universidad Complutense de Madrid
Fernando de Arce
Affiliation:
Universidad Complutense de Madrid
*
Correspondence should be addressed to Mónica Bernaldo de Quirós Aragón, Facultad de Psicología, Universidad Complutense de Madrid, Campus de Somosagüas, 28223 Madrid (Spain). Phone: 34-91-3943126. Fax: 34-91-3943189. E-mail: mbquirosmb@hotmail.com.

Abstract

Twenty-four detoxified opiate addicts were randomized to an experimental group and a control group to evaluate efficacy of a group cue-exposure treatment to reduce or extinguish classically conditioned responses to drug-related stimuli. Assessment included psychophysiological responses (skin temperature, skin conductance level—SCL—, and heart rate) to a videotape and subjective measures (subjective craving, positive and negative affect) before and after the videotape. The experimental group received a group cue-exposure program to drug-related stimuli that comprised twelve treatment sessions administered three times weekly. The treatment program significantly reduced conditioned responses to drug-related stimuli, as measured by SCL and positive affect.

Veinticuatro adictos a los opiáceos, ya desintoxicados, fueron asignados de forma aleatoria a un grupo experimental y un grupo control para evaluar la eficacia de un tratamiento de exposición para reducir o extinguir las respuestas condicionadas a los estímulos asociados con la droga. La evaluación incluyó las respuestas psicofisiológicas (temperatura periférica, nivel de conductancia dermoeléctrica y frecuencia cardiaca) emitidas ante la presentación de un video, así como medidas subjetivas (grado de “deseo” subjetivo, afecto positivo y negativo) antes y después de la presentación del video. El grupo experimental recibió un programa de exposición en grupo a estímulos relacionados con la droga, consistente en doce sesiones de tratamiento con una periodicidad de tres veces por semana. El programa de tratamiento redujo de forma significativa las respuestas condicionadas a los estímulos relacionados con la droga, de acuerdo con las medidas de nivel de conductancia electrotérmica y afecto positivo.

Type
Articles
Copyright
Copyright © Cambridge University Press 2005

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