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Meta‐analysis of cue‐reactivity in addiction research
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1999
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Cue‑reactivity procedures expose addicts to drug‑related stimuli while measuring craving and physiological responses. The review aimed to quantify cue‑reactivity responses across addiction types and assess which learning‑based model best explains them. Effect sizes were calculated separately for craving and physiological measures across 41 studies using meta‑analytic techniques. Across all groups, craving had a large effect size (+0.92), alcoholics had a smaller effect (+0.53) versus other addicts (+1.18–1.29), and physiological responses were modest (heart rate +0.26, sweat gland activity +0.40, skin temperature –0.24), indicating a stable cue‑reactivity profile that supports conditioning‑based models.
The cue-reactivity procedure exposes addicts to a variety of drug-related stimuli while self-report of craving and physiological responses are monitored. The present review sought to determine the magnitude and overall pattern of responses typically found in cue-reactivity research and which, if any, learning-based model of cue reactivity is best supported by the findings.Meta-analytical techniques were used to select and evaluate results from 41 cue-reactivity studies that compared responses of alcoholics, cigarette smokers, cocaine addicts or heroin addicts to drug-related versus neutral stimuli. Effect sizes were calculated, separately by addict type, for self-report of craving and physiological responses (heart rate, sweat gland activity and skin temperature).Across all addict groups, the effect size for craving was +0.92. Alcoholics had a significantly smaller craving effect size (+0.53) compared to other addict groups (+1.18 to +1.29). Relatively smaller effect sizes were found for physiological responses. The general profile of effect sizes across all addict groups was increased heart rate (+0.26) and sweat gland activity (+0.40) and decreased skin temperature (-0.24) when addicts were presented with drug-related stimuli.The cue-reactivity paradigm can produce a stable profile of significant effects and, therefore, has a number of potential applications for investigating addictive phenomena. The implications of these findings for conditioning-based models of cue-reactivity phenomena are discussed.