The Dependence Syndrome Concept as a Psychological Theory of Relapse Behaviour: an empirical evaluation of alcoholic and opiate addicts

Summary This paper examines the drug dependence syndrome (DSS) concept as a psychological theory of relapse to alcohol or opiate use following a period of abstinence from these substances. The results of several empirical studies of relapse in alcoholics and opiate users are described. Measures of the alcohol dependence syndrome provided good prediction of reinstatement in alcoholics, but severity of drug dependence did not predict reinstatement as consistently in opiate users. It is concluded that while the DDS concept may have merit as a psychological explanation of reinstatement, it should be subjected to a more rigorous program of research aimed at better operational measures and more intensive hypothesis testing, especially in samples of drug users.