Dual diagnosis patients in substance abuse treatment: relationship of general coping and substance-specific coping to 1-year outcomes.
OBJECTIVE
This study examined general and substance-specific coping skills and their relationship to treatment climate, continuing care and 1-year post-treatment functioning among dual diagnosis patients (i.e. co-occurrence of substance use and psychiatric disorders).


METHODS
In a prospective multi-site study, dual diagnosis patients participating in substance abuse treatment were assessed at intake, discharge and at a 1-year follow-up.


METHODS
Patients were recruited from 15 substance abuse treatment programs, which were selected from a larger pool of 174 inpatient treatment programs in the Department of Veterans Affairs Health Care System.


METHODS
A total of 981 male dual diagnosis patients participated in the study.


METHODS
Assessments included general and substance-specific coping skills, treatment climate, continuing outpatient care, abstinence and clinically significant psychiatric symptoms.


RESULTS
Dual diagnosis patients modestly improved on general and substance-specific coping skills over the 1-year follow-up period. Patients who were in programs with a 'dual diagnosis treatment climate' and who participated in more 12-Step self-help groups showed slightly more gains in adaptive coping. Both general and substance-specific coping were associated with abstinence, but only general coping was associated with freedom from significant psychiatric symptoms.


CONCLUSIONS
Enhancing general and substance-specific coping skills in substance abuse treatment may reduce dual diagnosis patients' post-treatment substance use and improve their psychological functioning.
Moggi
F
F
Program Evaluation and Resource Center, VA Palo Alto Health Care System, CA 94025, USA.
Ouimette
P C
PC
Moos
R H
RH
Finney
J W
JW
D000223:Adaptation, Psychological; D000328:Adult; D017831:Diagnosis, Dual (Psychiatry); D005500:Follow-Up Studies; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D001523:Mental Disorders / Q000523:psychology* / Q000628:therapy; D011446:Prospective Studies; D019966:Substance-Related Disorders / Q000523:psychology* / Q000628:therapy; D011795:Surveys and Questionnaires