title: Psychiatric symptom severity in cocaine-dependent outpatients: demographics, drug use characteristics and treatment outcome.
abstract: Psychiatric symptom severity and associated characteristics were assessed in 185 individuals seeking outpatient treatment for cocaine dependence. The sample was divided into groups of low, medium and high psychiatric symptom severity based on Addiction Severity Index psychiatric composite scores. Patients with high symptom severity reported poorer pre-treatment functioning and more adverse consequences of cocaine use than the lower severity groups. Relationships between psychiatric severity and treatment outcome variables were assessed in a subset of 123 patients who received one of three 24-week psychosocial treatments for cocaine abuse: (i) behavioral treatment with a voucher-based incentive program; (ii) the same behavioral treatment without vouchers; (iii) or drug abuse counseling. Psychiatric symptom severity failed to influence treatment outcome with any of these treatments. Thus, in this study the authors found no evidence to indicate that high psychiatric severity predicts poor response to psychosocial treatment for cocaine abuse.
authors.affiliation: Department of Psychiatry, University of Vermont, Burlington 05401-1419, USA.
authors.forename: J W
authors.initials: JW
authors.lastname: Tidey
authors.forename: L
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Mehl-Madrona
authors.forename: S T
authors.initials: ST
authors.lastname: Higgins
authors.forename: G J
authors.initials: GJ
authors.lastname: Badger
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D000704:Analysis of Variance; D001521:Behavior Therapy / Q000379:methods; D016009:Chi-Square Distribution; D019970:Cocaine-Related Disorders / Q000150:complications / Q000628:therapy; D015331:Cohort Studies; D017831:Diagnosis, Dual (Psychiatry) / Q000145:classification; D005260:Female; D006304:Health Status; D006801:Humans; D007902:Length of Stay; D008297:Male; D001523:Mental Disorders / Q000150:complications; D012044:Regression Analysis; D012720:Severity of Illness Index; D012917:Social Adjustment; D012959:Socioeconomic Factors; D019966:Substance-Related Disorders / Q000150:complications; D016896:Treatment Outcome