He. Ross et al., RETENTION IN SUBSTANCE-ABUSE TREATMENT - ROLE OF PSYCHIATRIC SYMPTOM SEVERITY, The American journal on addictions, 6(4), 1997, pp. 293-303
The authors investigated the association between psychiatric symptom s
everity and subsequent treatment retention among substance abusers. Th
e Symptom Check List-90-R was administered, after admission to an addi
ction treatment facility, to 308 male and 106 female clients with mode
rate-to-severe substance abuse problems. Mean scores on nine symptom a
nd three summary scales were computed. Controlling for other sociodemo
graphic and treatment variables, somatization was significantly associ
ated with dropout from specialized outpatient and inpatient treatment
programs. This study, however suggests that psychopathologic symptom s
everity at admission has only limited utility in predicting subsequent
treatment retention among substance abusers with overall moderate lev
els of psychological distress.