title: Impact of group motivational interviewing on enhancing treatment engagement for homeless Veterans with nicotine dependence and other substance use disorders: A pilot investigation.
abstract: Prior studies have shown that Group Motivational Interviewing (GMI) for dually diagnosed patients holds promise for increasing treatment engagement.
  
  
  
  The current study evaluated the impact of a novel GMI protocol that included tobacco-specific components (referred to as "Tobacco GMI or T-GMI") targeting enhanced engagement in smoking cessation treatment.
  
  
  
  Thirty-seven primary alcohol and nicotine-dependent cigarette smoking homeless Veterans with co-morbid psychiatric conditions were recruited to receive four GMI sessions over 4 consecutive days. The first 16 participants received standard GMI, aimed at enhancing engagement in substance abuse treatment and for reducing substance use, while the remaining 21 participants received a modified "tobacco-specific" GMI protocol (T-GMI) that included additional content specific to cessation of tobacco use and enhancing smoking cessation treatment, in addition to the standard substance abuse content of GMI.
  
  
  
  Participants in T-GMI were more likely to attend tobacco cessation programming (p = .05), as well as to attend combined tobacco cessation programming with prescribed nicotine replacement therapy (p = .03), compared to those in standard GMI. Differences between treatment conditions with respect to alcohol and illicit drug use outcomes were not significant, although overall substance use declined over time in both groups.
  
  
  
  Results suggest that inclusion of tobacco-specific components in the context of GMI for substance abuse may enhance treatment engagement for tobacco cessation behaviors among dually diagnosed nicotine dependent homeless patients, a highly vulnerable population for which interventional resources targeting engagement in smoking cessation treatment has historically been lacking. (Am J Addict 2016;25:533-541).
authors: Ralph H. Johnson VAMC, Charleston, South Carolina. santaana@musc.edu.|Department of Psychiatry and Behavioral Sciences, Medical University of South Carolina, Charleston, South Carolina. santaana@musc.edu.
authors: Elizabeth J
authors: EJ
authors: Santa Ana
authors: Ralph H. Johnson VAMC, Charleston, South Carolina.|Department of Psychiatry and Behavioral Sciences, Medical University of South Carolina, Charleston, South Carolina.
authors: Steven D
authors: SD
authors: LaRowe
authors: Hollings Cancer Center, Medical University of South Carolina, Charleston, South Carolina.
authors: Kent
authors: K
authors: Armeson
authors: Ralph H. Johnson VAMC, Charleston, South Carolina.
authors: Kayla E
authors: KE
authors: Lamb
authors: Ralph H. Johnson VAMC, Charleston, South Carolina.|Department of Psychiatry and Behavioral Sciences, Medical University of South Carolina, Charleston, South Carolina.
authors: Karen
authors: K
authors: Hartwell
mesh_terms: D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D003131:Combined Modality Therapy; D017831:Diagnosis, Dual (Psychiatry); D005260:Female; D005500:Follow-Up Studies; D006703:Ill-Housed Persons / Q000523:psychology*; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D062405:Motivational Interviewing / Q000379:methods*; D010349:Patient Compliance / Q000523:psychology*; D010865:Pilot Projects; D011446:Prospective Studies; D011615:Psychotherapy, Group / Q000379:methods*; D016540:Smoking Cessation / Q000379:methods* / Q000523:psychology; D014029:Tobacco Use Disorder / Q000523:psychology / Q000628:therapy*; D016896:Treatment Outcome; D014481:United States; D014728:Veterans / Q000523:psychology; D058014:Veterans Health; D055815:Young Adult