Predictors of substance abuse treatment participation among homeless adults.
The current study focuses on the relationships among a trauma history, a substance use history, chronic homelessness, and the mediating role of recent emotional distress in predicting drug treatment participation among adult homeless people. We explored the predictors of participation in substance abuse treatment because enrolling and retaining clients in substance abuse treatment programs is always a challenge particularly among homeless people. Participants were 853 homeless adults from Los Angeles, California. Using structural equation models, findings indicated that trauma history, substance use history and chronicity of homelessness were associated, and were significant predictors of greater recent emotional distress. The most notable result was that recent emotional distress predicted less participation in current substance abuse treatment (both formal and self-help) whereas a substance use history alone predicted significantly more participation in treatment. Implications concerning treatment engagement and difficulties in obtaining appropriate dual-diagnosis services for homeless mentally distressed individuals are discussed.
Department of Social Psychology and Behavior Sciences Methodology, University College of Psychology, Universidad del País Vasco/Euskal Herriko Unibertsitatea (UPV/EHU), Avda. Tolosa 70, 20018 Donostia-San Sebastián, Spain. Electronic address: izaskun.ibabe@ehu.es.
Izaskun
I
Ibabe
Department of Psychology, 3566 Franz Hall, University of California, Los Angeles, CA 90095-1563, USA. Electronic address: jastein@ucla.edu.
Judith A
JA
Stein
School of Nursing, Room 2-250, Factor Building, University of California, Los Angeles, CA 90095-1702, USA. Electronic address: anyamath@sonnet.ucla.edu.
Adeline
A
Nyamathi
Department of Psychology, Franz Hall, Box 951563, University of California, Los Angeles, CA 90095-1563, USA. Electronic address: bentler@ucla.edu.
Peter M
PM
Bentler
D000328:Adult; D000342:Affective Symptoms / Q000523:psychology; D000368:Aged; D005260:Female; D006703:Ill-Housed Persons; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D010358:Patient Participation; D019966:Substance-Related Disorders / Q000628:therapy*
Drug treatment; Dual diagnosis; Emotional distress; Homeless adults; Substance abuse; Trauma history