Has Relapse Prevention Received a Fair Shake? A Review and Implications for Future Transfer Research

Abstract

As learning and performance improvement continues to dominate the training research landscape, so does the need to justify the results of relevant interventions. One area in training research that has continued to elude practitioners and researchers is enhancing the use of trained skills back on the job (i.e., training transfer). Relapse prevention (RP) is a posttraining transfer intervention that has been studied for decades but associated findings lack consistency in transfer research. In this article, the authors review studies using RP as a transfer intervention, examine the weaknesses of study design and methods, and suggest improvements for future research to seek a fair test of its ultimate effectiveness.