Is substance abuse treatment providing services to the right population?
This study examined the relationship between treatment retention, and drug severity level in a therapeutic community setting for drug and alcohol treatment. Treatment retention is significant because length of time in treatment has been shown to correlate with success after treatment that impacts everyone. The design of this study was exploratory, descriptive, and cross-sectional. Data were collected in 2000 from a convenience sample of 18 to 25 year-old, primarily low-income and minority addicts who were currently in a therapeutic community in New Jersey, USA. The participants were then tracked for 90 days as to their status in the program and staff completed a motivation measure. Results indicated that severity of addiction was significant to treatment retention.
Ward
Kelly
K
Social Work Department, Monmouth University, West Long Branch, NJ 07764, USA. kward@monmouth.edu
D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D003156:Community Mental Health Services / Q000600:supply & distribution*; D003430:Cross-Sectional Studies; D005006:Ethnicity; D006801:Humans; D012153:Retention, Psychology; D012720:Severity of Illness Index; D012959:Socioeconomic Factors; D019966:Substance-Related Disorders / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000208:ethnology / Q000534:rehabilitation*; D016896:Treatment Outcome