e addiction, 2001), include CBT, self-help groups, and psychotherapy. The NIDA believes that a combination of CBT and pharmaceutical therapies may be necessary to effectively address cocaine addiction. However, cocaine abuse that is short of addiction may be responsive to CBT.
Indeed, Messina, Farabee, and Rawson (2003) compared the efficacy of two approaches for the treatment of cocaine dependence among methadone maintained patients with and without anti-social personality disorder (ASPD). Patients were randomy assigned to four study conditions: CBT, contingency management (CM), CBT with CM, or methadone maintenance. Results of the study found that patients with anti-social personality disorder responded best to CM alone, while patients without ASPD responded equally well to CBT and CBT with CM.
Farabee, Rawson, and McCann (2002) studied 97 cocaine dependent subjects and assessed effects of CBT and non-CBT treatments, including CM and methadone maintenance on patients' adoption of drug avoidance activities (DAA) after treatment. They also examined whether the adoption of these activities was associated with sustained reductions in cocaine use during a follow-up. Results of the study by Farabee, et al (2002) revealed that subjects exposed to CBT reported more frequent engagement in drug use avoidance activities at treatment end and at a one-year follow-up than did the subjects who were assigned to either CM or control conditions.
Other research supports the efficacy of CBT in treating cocaine dependence. Covi, Hess, Schroeder, and Preston (2002) conducted a study to evaluate the effect of frequency of cognitive sessions using CBT among a sample of 68 cocaine-dependent outpatients. Subjects were randomly assigned to twice-weekly, once-weekly, or bi-weekly sessions in a 12-week treatment program. The program used manual-based, individual cognitive behavioral psychotherapy in its treatment. All participants w...