title: Conceptualizing and assessing treatment structure and process in community-based drug dependency treatment programs.
abstract: Having established the effectiveness of drug dependency treatment, the next generation of research will necessitate a focus on treatment structure and process and the systems within which programs operate. As a foundation for a process conceptualization, we constructed a grounded theory definition of treatment consisting of core elements and related comprehensive services. We then presented the multilevel conceptual framework that guided the Drug Abuse Treatment Outcome Study (DATOS) treatment structure and process study design and instrumentation, anchored by supporting empirical literature. The framework emphasizes seven critical levels of process measurement that future research should consider in order to avoid potential spurious findings.
authors.affiliation: National Development and Research Institute, Inc., Institute for Community-Based Research, Raleigh, North Carolina 27606, USA.
authors.forename: R M
authors.initials: RM
authors.lastname: Etheridge
authors.forename: R L
authors.initials: RL
authors.lastname: Hubbard
mesh_terms: D003156:Community Mental Health Services; D003191:Comprehensive Health Care; D019317:Evidence-Based Medicine; D006302:Health Services Research; D006801:Humans; D010043:Outcome and Process Assessment, Health Care; D011785:Quality Assurance, Health Care; D019966:Substance-Related Disorders / Q000534:rehabilitation*