LAUSR

AIMS To examine two explanations for the observation that cue-exposure treatment has not been clearly effective in the treatment of alcohol dependence: do alcohol dependent individuals have either 1) slower extinction and/or 2) greater contextual specificity of extinction than non-dependent individuals? DESIGN In two exploratory laboratory experiments we used mixed factorial designs with two-group between-subjects factors and within-subjects factors corresponding to performance in different parts of a computer-based learning task. SETTING University of Southampton psychology research laboratories and two addiction treatment services in the city of Southampton, UK. PARTICIPANTS Experiment 1: Seventy-four (54 female) undergraduates from the University of Southampton (age M=20.4 years). Experiment 2: One-hundred and two (40 female) participants from the University of Southampton, the local community, and from two Southampton alcohol treatment services (age M=41.3 years). MEASUREMENTS The Alcohol Use Disorders Identification Test, a 1-week time-line follow-back alcohol consumption questionnaire, the Barratt Impulsiveness Scale (11th Ed), and a computerised learning task. Experiment 2 additionally used the 44-item Big Five Inventory, a drug use history checklist, and the Hospital Anxiety and Depression Scale. FINDINGS Experiment 1: light and heavy drinkers did not differ significantly in extinction (extinction block x drinking status interaction, p=.761, η p 2 = .005 , 95% confidence interval (0,.028)) or on contextual control of extinction (recovery block x drinking status interaction, p=.514, η p 2 = .009 , 95% confidence interval (0,.084)). Experiment 2: slower extinction in abstinent alcohol dependent participants compared with light drinkers (extinction block x drinking status interaction, p=.023, η p 2 = .031 , 95% confidence interval (0,.069)) but no significant difference on contextual control of extinction (recovery block x drinking status interaction, p=.069, η p 2 = .033 , 95% confidence interval (0,.125)). CONCLUSION Abstinent alcohol dependent people may have slower extinction learning for alcohol-related cues, than non-dependent light drinkers.