Modeling attitude towards drug treament: the role of internal motivation, external pressure, and dramatic relief.
Motivation for change has historically been viewed as the crucial element affecting responsiveness to drug treatment. Various external pressures, such as legal coercion, may engender motivation in an individual previously resistant to change. Dramatic relief may be the change process that is most salient as individuals internalize such external pressures. Results of structural equation modeling on data from 465 drug users (58.9% male; 21.3% Black, 34.2% Hispanic/Latino, and 35.1% White) entering drug treatment indicated that internal motivation and external pressure significantly and positively predicted dramatic relief and that dramatic relief significantly predicted attitudes towards drug treatment: chi (2) = 142.20, df = 100, p < 0.01; Robust Comparative Fit Index = 0.97, Root Mean Squared Error of Approximation = 0.03. These results indicate that when external pressure and internal motivation are high, dramatic relief is also likely to be high. When dramatic relief is high, attitudes towards drug treatment are likely to be positive. The findings indicate that interventions to get individuals into drug treatment should include processes that promote Dramatic Relief. Implications for addictions health services are discussed.
Integrated Substance Abuse Programs, Semel Institute for Neuroscience and Human Behavior, University of California, Los Angeles, 1640 South Sepulveda Boulevard, Suite 200, Los Angeles, CA 90025-7535, USA. bconner@ucla.edu
Bradley T
BT
Conner
Douglas
D
Longshore
M Douglas
MD
Anglin
D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D001521:Behavior Therapy / Q000379:methods; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D007389:Internal-External Control; D035846:Law Enforcement; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D009042:Motivation; D010342:Patient Acceptance of Health Care / Q000523:psychology*; D011582:Psychological Theory; D019966:Substance-Related Disorders / Q000523:psychology* / Q000628:therapy; D016896:Treatment Outcome; D055815:Young Adult