Short-term (6–15 week) abstinent alcoholics (STAA, n = 77), LTAA (greater than 18 months abstinent, n = 90) and non-substance abusing controls (NSAC, n = 74) were recruited from the island of Oahu (Table 1). Abstinent alcoholics were recruited through advertisements and fliers posted in various treatment programs and 12-step recovery meetings, and met DSM-IV-R lifetime criteria for alcohol dependence (American Psychiatric Association, 1994). Forty-one STAA and 43 LTAA also met lifetime criteria for stimulant (cocaine and/or methamphetamine) abuse or dependence. For STAA, 12 had a cocaine disorder, 18 had a methamphetamine disorder, and 10 had both cocaine and methamphetamine disorders. For LTAA, 19 had a cocaine disorder, 9 had a methamphetamine disorder, and 15 had both cocaine and methamphetamine disorders. Subjects' substance use history was gathered using the Lifetime Drinking History instrument with timeline follow-back methodology (Skinner and Sheu, 1982), administered separately for alcohol and for each other substance used. In addition, subjects completed the computerized Diagnostic Interview Schedule (C-DIS) (Levitan et al., 1991) to ascertain externalizing, anxiety or mood disorder diagnoses and symptom counts.
