SELF-REEVALUATION THERAPY - A COGNITIVE INTERVENTION FOR THE CHEMICALLY DEPENDENT PATIENT

A brief cognitive-behavioral intervention, based on Higgins's self-discrepancy theory, is described, and a case report of its use with a cocaine-dependent patient is provided. Self-discrepancy theory states that discrepancies among current and desired self-representations form cognitive schemas, which, when activated, produce negative emotional states. Negative emotional states, in turn, are hypothesized to play a role in relapse to drug use. The goal of self-reevaluation therapy is to reduce actual:ideal self-discrepancies and to increase actual:addict self-discrepancies through the use of a guided imagery technique that helps the patient identify and elaborate alternative nonaddict self-representations. The imagery script and daily logs are provided in their entirety in an appendix.