Relapse Prevention

Interventions to reduce the likelihood of relapse, or a return to substance abuse after a period of abstinence, are important components of substance abuse treatment. Treatment interventions for adolescence with substance use disorders should incorporate principles of relapse prevention. The relapse prevention model advanced by Marlatt and Gordon and others in the addiction field is a self-control model, based on a cognitive-behavioral approach. This model stands in contrast to a disease model, which many in the medical field have adhered to. This paper presents a summary of the key features of Marlatt and Gordon's cognitive-behavioral approach to relapse prevention.