title: Using peer, self, and counselor ratings to evaluate treatment progress.
abstract: It is generally recognized that the evaluation of treatment progress requires multiple methods of assessment. To provide a basis for supplementing existing measures, the current study investigated the use of a peer rating methodology for evaluating the treatment progress of 381 probationers admitted to a four-month residential drug abuse facility. Self ratings of "working the program" (i.e., conscientiously participating in treatment) were compared with ratings by peers in the program and with ratings by counselors. Peer and counselor ratings were more highly correlated with each other than with client self ratings. Peer as well as self ratings detected differences between enhanced and standard counseling, and were related to individual difference measures known to be associated with treatment progress. In addition, peer midterm ratings of "working the program" were related to both self and counselor ratings of clients' endterm participation, and counselor ratings of the likelihood of remaining clean and sober. These findings support the use of peer ratings as additional indicators of treatment progress.
authors.affiliation: Institute of Behavioral Research, Texas Christian University, Fort Worth 76129, USA.
authors.forename: M
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Czuchry
authors.forename: D F
authors.initials: DF
authors.lastname: Dansereau
authors.forename: T L
authors.initials: TL
authors.lastname: Sia
authors.forename: D D
authors.initials: DD
authors.lastname: Simpson
mesh_terms: D000437:Alcoholism / Q000534:rehabilitation; D001288:Attention; D003376:Counseling; D016578:Crack Cocaine; D003415:Crime; D005260:Female; D006556:Heroin Dependence / Q000534:rehabilitation; D006801:Humans; D007398:Interpersonal Relations; D008297:Male; D002189:Marijuana Abuse / Q000534:rehabilitation; D015999:Multivariate Analysis; D010379:Peer Group; D017410:Practice Guidelines as Topic; D011369:Professional-Patient Relations; D012044:Regression Analysis; D018709:Statistics, Nonparametric; D016320:Substance Abuse Treatment Centers; D019966:Substance-Related Disorders / Q000523:psychology* / Q000534:rehabilitation*; D016896:Treatment Outcome
chemical_list: D016578:Crack Cocaine