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Encyclopedia of Behavioral Medicine pp 8–9Cite as

Abstinence Violation Effect

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Synonyms

AVE

Definition

The abstinence violation effect (AVE) refers to the negative cognitive (i.e., internal, stable, uncontrollable attributions; cognitive dissonance) and affective responses (i.e., guilt, shame) experienced by an individual after a return to substance use following a period of self-imposed abstinence from substances (Curry, Marlatt, & Gordon, 1987).

Description

AVE in the Context of the Relapse Process

The AVE was introduced into the substance abuse literature within the context of the “relapse process” (Marlatt & Gordon, 1985, p. 37). Relapse has been variously defined, depending on theoretical orientation, treatment goals, cultural context, and target substance (Miller, 1996; White, 2007). It is, however, most commonly used to refer to a resumption of substance-use behavior after a period of abstinence from substances (Miller, 1996). The term relapse may be used to describe a prolonged return to substance use, whereas lapsemay be used to describe discrete,...

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References and Readings

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Author information

Authors and Affiliations

  1. Department of Psychiatry and Behavioral Sciences, University of Washington, Harborview Medical Center, Seattle, WA, 98195, USA

    Dr. Susan E. Collins

  2. University of New Mexico, Albuquerque, New Mexico, USA

    Katie Witkiewitz

Authors
  1. Dr. Susan E. Collins
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  2. Katie Witkiewitz
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Corresponding author

Correspondence to Susan E. Collins .

Editor information

Editors and Affiliations

  1. Behavioral Medicine Research Center, Department of Psychology, University of Miami, Miami, FL, USA

    Marc D. Gellman

  2. Cardiovascular Safety, Quintiles, Durham, NC, USA

    J. Rick Turner

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© 2013 Springer Science+Business Media, New York

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Collins, S.E., Witkiewitz, K. (2013). Abstinence Violation Effect. In: Gellman, M.D., Turner, J.R. (eds) Encyclopedia of Behavioral Medicine. Springer, New York, NY. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-1-4419-1005-9_623

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/978-1-4419-1005-9_623

  • Publisher Name: Springer, New York, NY

  • Print ISBN: 978-1-4419-1004-2

  • Online ISBN: 978-1-4419-1005-9

  • eBook Packages: MedicineReference Module Medicine

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