Results demonstrate three distinct groups of alcohol-dependent patients based on daily measures of alcohol craving, positive affect, and negative affect. In general, each class was associated with differential severity of symptoms. While there was an association between negative affect and alcohol craving, only alcohol craving was significantly related to maintaining abstinence. Interestingly, alcohol craving was not associated with quantity and frequency of drinking at the time of admission. The alcohol craving identified by the daily diaries also appears not to be cue or stress induced and may represent a trait phenomenon. These results suggest a subpopulation of alcohol-dependent patients or a possible endophenotype that is defined by a high alcohol craving state that does not change during the initial period of abstinence. This high alcohol craving state is predictive of poor outcomes. These results extend reports from the literature demonstrating an association between alcohol craving and alcohol consumption in a human laboratory setting (Petrakis et al., 2002).
