title: Motivating methadone patients to include drug-free significant others in treatment: a behavioral intervention.
abstract: The present study introduced a novel behavioral approach for encouraging methadone-treated patients to bring drug-free significant other support into treatment. Seventy-five patients referred to high-intensity psychosocial treatment due to chronic drug use were given 3 weeks to identify a drug-free significant other. Patients noncompliant with this intervention were started on a methadone dose taper that was stopped when significant other support was identified. Patients and their significant others were required to attend a significant other group one time per week for a minimum of 6 weeks. Eighty-five percent of the patients brought a drug-free significant other into treatment. Significant others included family members, partners, and friends. Patients who identified significant other support complied with 77% of their scheduled sessions. The results demonstrated that most methadone patients have drug-free support people who are willing to participate in their treatment. These individuals can be utilized to help patients initiate the process of building new drug-free social support networks.
authors.affiliation: Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine, Johns Hopkins Bayview Medical Center, Baltimore, MD, USA.
authors.forename: M
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Kidorf
authors.forename: R K
authors.initials: RK
authors.lastname: Brooner
authors.forename: V L
authors.initials: VL
authors.lastname: King
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D000701:Analgesics, Opioid / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D015142:Baltimore; D005196:Family Therapy; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008691:Methadone / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D009042:Motivation; D009293:Opioid-Related Disorders / Q000534:rehabilitation*; D010349:Patient Compliance; D012944:Social Support
chemical_list: D000701:Analgesics, Opioid; D008691:Methadone