THE RELATION BETWEEN SELF-EFFICACY AND BEHAVIORAL PROCESSES OF CHANGE AND THEIR IMPACT ON DRINKING OUTCOMES AFTER ALCOHOL TREATMENT

The predictive power of alcohol abstinence self-efficacy on drinking outcomes has been widely studied, yet important questions remain about the nature and conditions of its impact. The present study evaluated whether the effect of alcohol abstinence self-efficacy measured at the end of an alcohol treatment program was moderated by reported utilization of behavioral processes of change. It was hypothesized that self-efficacy would be differentially important in predicting quantity and frequency of drinking post-treatment depending upon level of behavioral processes used, such that the relation between self-efficacy and outcomes would be stronger for individuals who reported low levels of processes. Data were analyzed from Project MATCH, a large, multisite alcohol treatment study. A significant curvilinear relation between end-of-treatment self-efficacy and 6- and 12-month post-treatment drinking outcomes was found, and as hypothesized, this relation was moderated by level of behavioral processes of change. Self-efficacy had a stronger impact on quantity and frequency of post-treatment drinking when low levels of behavioral processes were reported than when high levels were used. Individual behavioral processes were also examined, and the moderated relation was strongest for processes related to managing cues, reinforcements, and conditioned responses. These findings have importance treatment implications and highlight the complex nature of self-efficacy's impact on drinking outcomes