Dropout is the most persistent and least understood problem across all drug treatment modalities. Therapeutic community (TC) research, however, has indicated that efforts to maximize holding power, particularly in the first 30 days after admission, could significantly increase the number of individuals who remain in and benefit from treatment. The major purpose of this research, therefore, is to enhance retention in treatment among clients in drug free residential settings. Based upon clinical assumptions and results from pilot studies, three interventions will be implemented to impact new admissions during the first 30 days of their residency in a TC. (a) Intesified individual counseling, (b) Role induction seminars conducted by executive staff (""""""""Senior Professors""""""""), and (c) a program for involving the family (Significant-Other) of new residents. There are two specific aims of the study (1) to assess the effectiveness of 3 interventions, separately and in combination on increasing short and longer term retention in treatment. An experimental design will be employed in which successive admission cohorts to residential treatment (N-216 each) will receive one of the interventions (Total N-1300) while other cohorts will not (N-500). Short (30 day) and longer term (180 days) retention following each intervention will be compared with each other; (2) to determine the client social and psychological factors that maximally predict retention under each intervention. Finally, a manual' of procedures will be developed for implementing the successful interventions for use in other therapeutic community treatment programs.
| De Leon, G; Hawke, J; Jainchill, N et al. (2000) Therapeutic communities. Enhancing retention in treatment using ""Senior Professor"" staff. J Subst Abuse Treat 19:375-82 |
| De Leon, G (1991) Retention in drug-free therapeutic communities. NIDA Res Monogr 106:218-44 |
| De Leon, G; Jainchill, N (1986) Circumstance, motivation, readiness and suitability as correlates of treatment tenure. J Psychoactive Drugs 18:203-8 |
| Jainchill, N; De Leon, G; Pinkham, L (1986) Psychiatric diagnoses among substance abusers in therapeutic community treatment. J Psychoactive Drugs 18:209-13 |
