There is an increasing focus on the impact of psychosocial factors and stressors on the course of Alcohol Use Disorders. Exposure to traumatic events is common among individuals with substance use disorders. PTSD symptoms were associated with greater risk of relapse in intrapersonal and negative physiological contexts. Causative chains are multifactorial and complex, and genetic factors can influence life event exposure. The purpose of this study is to describe the relationships stressful life events and alcohol relapse in a clinical sample of Alcohol Dependent Subjects.

Seventy detoxified alcoholics meeting clinical criteria for Alcohol Dependence were consecutively recruited, after a short detoxification period, and then regularly followed for a period of one year. In the occurrence of alcohol relapse, patients were evaluated by the Paykel Interview for Recent Life Events. All patients were assessed by the Global Assessment of Functioning, the Quality of Life Index, and the Social Adaptation Self-evaluation Scale.

Forty-six subjects were still in treatment at the end of the study period. Stressful life events, did not determine an increased relapse rata and were not associated with alcohol relapse.

This study suggests that the role of psychosocial risk factors should be reconsidered toward a better understand of the factors implicated in alcohol relapse. Other aspects, such as the psychological functioning, the family environment, the peer relationships, and biological and genetic characteristics are further aspect to investigate.