Synonyms
Definition
The abstinence violation effect (AVE) refers to the negative cognitive (i.e., internal, stable, uncontrollable attributions; cognitive dissonance) and affective responses (i.e., guilt, shame) experienced by an individual after a return to substance use following a period of self-imposed abstinence from substances (Curry et al. 1987).
Description
AVE in the Context of the Relapse Process
The AVE was introduced into the substance abuse literature within the context of the “relapse process” (Marlatt and Gordon 1985, p. 37). Relapse has been variously defined, depending on theoretical orientation, treatment goals, cultural context, and target substance (Miller 1996; White 2007). It is, however, most commonly used to refer to a resumption of substance use behavior after a period of abstinence from substances (Miller 1996). The term relapse may be used to describe a prolonged return to substance use, whereas lapsemay be used to describe discrete, circumscribed...
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References and Further Readings
Collins, R. L., & Lapp, W. M. (1991). Restraint and attributions: Evidence of the abstinence violation effect in alcohol consumption. Cognitive Therapy and Research, 15, 69–84.
Curry, S., Marlatt, G. A., & Gordon, J. R. (1987). Abstinence violation effect: Validation of an attributional construct with smoking cessation. Journal of Consulting and Clinical Psychology, 55, 145–149.
Larimer, M. E., Palmer, R. S., & Marlatt, G. A. (1999). Relapse prevention: An overview of Marlatt’s cognitive-behavioral model. Alcohol Research & Health, 23, 151–160.
Laws, D. R. (1995). Central elements in relapse prevention procedures with sex offenders. Psychology Crime and Law, 2, 41–53.
Marlatt, G. A., & Gordon, J. R. (1985). Relapse prevention: Maintenance strategies in the treatment of addictive behaviors. New York: The Guilford Press.
Miller, W. R. (1996). What is relapse? Fifty ways to leave the wagon. Addiction, 91(Suppl), S15–S27.
Miller, W. R., & Rollnick, S. (2002). Motivational interviewing: Preparing people for change (2nd ed.). New York: US Guilford Press.
Miller, W. R., Westerberg, V. S., Harris, R. J., & Tonigan, J. S. (1996). What predicts relapse? Prospective testing of antecedent models. Addiction, 91(Suppl), 155–171.
Mooney, J. P., Burling, T. A., Hartman, W. M., & Brenner-Liss, D. (1992). The abstinence violation effect and very low calorie diet success. Addictive Behaviors, 19, 23–32.
Stephens, R. S., Curtin, L., Simpson, E. E., & Roffman, R. A. (1994). Testing the abstinence violation effect construct with marijuana cessation. Addictive Behaviors, 19, 23–32.
Walton, M. A., Castro, F. G., & Barrington, E. H. (1994). The role of attributions in abstinence, lapse and relapse following substance abuse treatment. Addictive Behaviors, 19, 319–331.
Weiner, B. (1974). Achievement motivation and attribution theory. Morristown: General Learning Press.
White, W. L. (2007). Addiction recovery: Its definition and conceptual boundaries. Journal of Substance Abuse Treatment, 33, 229–241.
Witkiewitz, K., & Marlatt, G. A. (2007). Relapse prevention for alcohol and drug problems. In G. A. Marlatt & D. M. Donovan (Eds.), Relapse prevention: Maintenance strategies in the treatment of addictive behaviors (2nd ed.). New York: The Guilford Press.
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Collins, S.E., Witkiewitz, K. (2016). Abstinence Violation Effect. In: Gellman, M., Turner, J. (eds) Encyclopedia of Behavioral Medicine. Springer, New York, NY. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-1-4614-6439-6_623-2
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DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/978-1-4614-6439-6_623-2
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