BRIEF SUMMARY

• Basic premise: Relapse prevention (RP) is an important component of alcoholism treatment. Specifically, it is also designed for adult marijuana users. The RP model proposed by Marlatt and Gordon suggests that immediate determinants (high-risk situations, coping skills, outcome expectancies, and the abstinence violation effect), and covert antecedents (lifestyle factors and urges and cravings) can contribute to relapse. The RP model is based on specific and global strategies that allow therapist and client to address each step of the relapse process. Specific interventions included identifying specific high-risk situations for each client and enhancing the client’s skills for coping with those situations, increasing the client’s self-efficacy, eliminating myths regarding substance’s effects, managing lapses, and restructuring the client’s perceptions of the relapse process. Global strategies comprise balancing the client’s lifestyle and developing positive addictions, employing stimulus control techniques and urge management techniques. Several studies have provided theoretical and practical support for the effectiveness of group RP treatment with marijuana users.