Recovery among adolescents: models for post-treatment gains in drug abuse treatments.
Recovery among adolescents undergoing substance abuse treatment was modeled in terms of pre-treatment motivation, therapeutic relationships, psychological functioning, treatment retention, legal pressures, DSM diagnoses, and client demographics. To address between program differences, a within-covariance matrix, based on 547 youth, was used. Applicability of the results across treatment modalities was also examined. The data were from the NIDA-sponsored DATOS Adolescent study. Results from structural equation models (estimated using Mplus) indicated that higher pre-treatment motivation predicted stronger counselor and in-treatment peer relationships, better counselor relationships and retention predicted less illegal drug use at follow-up, and DSM diagnosis was important in the treatment process. Overall, illegal drug use at follow-up was associated with post-treatment alcohol consumption, cigarette use, condom nonuse, psychological distress, criminality, and school non-attendance. The results document the importance of motivation and therapeutic relationships on recovery, even when taking into account the relative effects of legal pressures, DSM diagnoses, and demographics.
Texas Christian University, Fort Worth, TX 76129, USA. Electronic address: g.joe@tcu.edu.
George W
GW
Joe
Texas Christian University, Fort Worth, TX 76129, USA.
Danica Kalling
DK
Knight
Texas Christian University, Fort Worth, TX 76129, USA.
Jennifer E
JE
Becan
Texas Christian University, Fort Worth, TX 76129, USA.
Patrick M
PM
Flynn
D000293:Adolescent; D017280:Condoms; D003376:Counseling; D005260:Female; D005500:Follow-Up Studies; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D009042:Motivation; D019966:Substance-Related Disorders / Q000523:psychology / Q000628:therapy*
Adolescents; Follow-up outcomes; Motivation; Recovery; Therapeutic relationships; Treatment process