Covert sensitization treatment of alcoholism: Contributions of successful conditioning to subsequent abstinence maintenance

Concepts and findings from the animal taste aversion literature are considered in a discussion which attempts to reconcile present conditioning results with reported failures to observe conditioning during covert sensitization treatment of various problems and during electrical aversion treatment of alcoholism.

Abstract

Covert sensitization (verbal aversion) treatment of alcoholism combined procedures of Cautela and Anant with multiple within-treatment dependent measures including physiological, behavioral and self-report responses. Imaginary drinking scenes emphasizing motivational, sensory and behavioral concomitants of alcohol ingestion were paired with nausea induced by verbal suggestion. Subjects' reports of nausea were accompanied by physiological responses (GSR, respiratory and digital pulse) and behavioral changes indicative of sickness. Verbally induced nausea was designated as demand nausea whereas nausea as an automatic response to imaginary drinking scenes was called conditioned nausea. Conditioned nausea, a goal of treatment, was developed by 68.6% of consistent nausea responders. Conditioned subjects maintained clinically and statistically significant extended periods of post-treatment abstinence. Additionally, a recent drinking-status classification placed conditioned subjects predominantly in abstinent and normal-drinking categories, whereas nonconditioned subjects were generally excessive drinkers. Concepts and findings from the animal taste aversion literature are considered in a discussion which attempts to reconcile present conditioning results with reported failures to observe conditioning during covert sensitization treatment of various problems and during electrical aversion treatment of alcoholism.