A SURVEY OF POSTHOSPITALIZATION TREATMENT NEEDS AND PREFERENCES IN COCAINE ABUSERS

In an effort to lower recidivism, most impatient drug treatment progra ms offer a variety of aftercare options. There is a lack of empiricall y based knowledge needed to make decisions about posthospital treatmen t development and its implementation. The authors used a survey method to evaluate outpatient treatment needs and preferences of hospitalize d cocaine-dependent patients (N = 40). Stronger preferences were expre ssed for 12-step programs, behavioral relapse prevention, and employme nt counseling than for psychotherapy, medical treatment, and legal ass istance. Most subjects viewed cocaine addiction as a disease (93%) rat her than a learned habit (7%). Group therapy was preferred over indivi dual therapy, (66% vs. 34%). For each problem area on the Addiction Se verity Index (ASI), patient severity ratings were strongly correlated with perceived aftercare treatment needs, whereas interviewer ratings and composite scores on the ASI were not. The authors discuss implicat ions of client preferences in posthospital treatment.