Original Research Article
Abasi Abdalla
Abstract
Sign exposure cognitive behavior therapy in relapse and carving control among alcoholic young adults at selected rehabilitation centres. The objectives of the study were: 1) to investigate the effect of duration of cue exposure on the alcoholic’s resistance to relapse; (2) to investigate the effect of the nature of cue exposure on the alcoholic’s resistance to relapse; and: (3) to investigate the effect of length of CET session son resistance to relapse. The study population and sample comprised 78 clients or patients who were enrolled in two rehabilitation centres in Uasin Gishu County, Kenya. The study adopted the experimental research design. The measurement of relapse was done using a check list on the quantity/frequency of drinking during drinking episodes as well as the Alcohol Timeline Follow back (TLFB) interview while the craving scale was used to measure clients’ carving for alcohol. A total of 39 patients were exposed to drinking cues in vivo while the other one was exposed to the same through imagination. The CET sessions lasted between 1 hour and 5 hours for every exposure situation over a period of three months. Again, on group underwent CET for 45 days while the other underwent CET for 90 day to s in order to determine the role of duration of exposure to CET in preventing relapse. Follow - ups were done 3 months thereafter. Study data was analyzed using regression analysis, presenting results for both the t-statistic and ANOVA. Based on the p values obtained (p=.007<.05 for cue exposure), (p=.020<.05 for the nature of Cue exposure therapy) and (p=.018<.05 for length of CET sessions), all the null hypotheses were rejected. This implied that duration of cue exposure, the nature of Cue exposure therapy and length of CET sessions significantly predicted resistance to relapse. The study recommends that for better results, cue exposure should be applied as an adjunctive therapy to a more comprehensive treatment program in order to improve treatment outcome