Differential urge and salivary responsivity to alcohol cues in alcohol-dependent patients: a comparison of traditional and stringent classification approaches.

Seventy alcohol-dependent individuals were presented with alcohol and water cues on separate trials while salivary responding and self-reported urge for alcohol were measured. Researchers used 2 distinct classification approaches to classify participants as either responders or nonresponders on urge and salivation. Through a traditional classification approach, both urge and salivary responder groups reported higher pleasantness ratings in response to the alcohol cues than nonresponders, yet did not differ on measures of alcohol dependence or withdrawal. Through a more stringent classification approach, salivation responders reported fewer days since their last drink of alcohol and higher pleasantness ratings in response to the alcohol cues than the salivation nonresponder group. The stringently classified urge responders reported higher pleasantness ratings in response to the alcohol cues and more psychiatric distress than the urge nonresponder group. The stringently classified responder groups did not report more alcohol dependence or withdrawal symptoms. There was modest agreement between self-reported urge for alcohol and the physiological measure of salivation. Theoretical and treatment implications are discussed.