WORKING WITH RESISTANT DRUG-ABUSERS

Despite the social turmoil created by drug abusers who are resistant t o treatment, very little has been done to develop techniques for worki ng with them. This article identifies some of the more promising appro aches in the literature. Among these are individualized and objective feedback on the social and physiological effects of drug consumption. Expert advice to quit and the deliberate manipulation of environmental contingencies by workers can also be effective, as can partner interv entions such as reciprocity marriage counseling and reinforcement trai ning. Resistant drug abusers are of particular interest to social work ers, who frequently encounter drug addiction in the context of some ot her, often more pressing, social crisis such as domestic violence of h omelessness.