Behavioral Therapy Plus Naltrexone for Alcoholism

This study will compare cognitive behavioral therapy with a time-limited motivational enhancement therapy to which naltrexone (Revia) or placebo medication is added. In this randomized clinical trial, 160 alcohol-dependent outpatients, after 5 days of abstinence, will receive one of the two psychosocial therapies and either naltrexone (Revia) or placebo for a 12-week treatment period. Abstinence rates, alcohol use, and time to alcohol relapse will be evaluated in all four groups along with measures of alcohol craving, biological measures of alcohol consumption, drinking consequences, changes in self-confidence for avoiding alcohol, and medication compliance. All study participants will be assessed for measures of outcome variables at 3 and 6 months after completing the treatment protocol.