Involving significant others in the care of opioid-dependent patients receiving methadone.
Positive, abstinence-oriented, social support is associated with good substance abuse treatment outcome but few interventions are designed to help patients improve their social supports. This article reports on a behavioral intervention designed to encourage opioid-dependent patients receiving methadone to include drug-free family members or friends in treatment and to use these individuals to facilitate development of a supportive, non-drug-using social network. This report uses data from a quality assurance program review of the treatment response of 59 opioid-dependent outpatients who identified a drug-free significant other to participate in their treatment. Fifty-five (93.2%) brought a significant other (most often the patient's mother, 29%) to both the initial evaluation session and at least one joint session. Social support activities were family- (33%), church- (28%), and self-help group-related (30%). Approximately 78% of patients who participated in the social support intervention achieved at least four consecutive weeks of abstinence. Women responded better than men. We conclude that methadone-maintained patients can and will include non-drug-using family members and friends in treatment, and these individuals can be mobilized to help patients improve their recovery.
Kidorf
Michael
M
Department of Psychiatry and Behavioral Sciences, Johns Hopkins Bayview Medical Center, The Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine, Baltimore, MD 21224, USA. mkidorf@jhmi.edu
King
Van L
VL
Neufeld
Karin
K
Stoller
Kenneth B
KB
Peirce
Jessica
J
Brooner
Robert K
RK
D000223:Adaptation, Psychological; D000328:Adult; D005190:Family; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008691:Methadone / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D009294:Narcotics / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D009293:Opioid-Related Disorders / Q000534:rehabilitation*; D012054:Reinforcement, Psychology; D012747:Sexual Partners; D012944:Social Support; D016896:Treatment Outcome
D009294:Narcotics; D008691:Methadone