PRETREATMENT DROPOUTS - CHARACTERISTICS AND OUTCOMES

The characteristics and outcome results of 123 cocaine dependent patie nts who dropped out following intake without returning for even one tr eatment visit were compared with those of 324 who did return and recei ved at least one treatment service and 118 who remained on the program for two months or more, The pre-treatment dropouts were more often po sitive for cocaine on admission drug screens and less often employed. They reported fewer psychological symptoms on the scales of the SCL-90 and received lower scores on the medical problem severity scale of th e ASI, At 9-month follow-up they were found to have less often attende d self-help meetings or continued in outpatient treatment, more often to have been admitted for inpatient treatment or been in jail, less of ten returned to school and were more often using cocaine. Clearly, cli nicians and researchers need a better understanding of these patients who account for significant attrition, have distinguishing characteris tics, and do much more poorly than those who remain in treatment.