STABILITY OF PSYCHIATRIC-SYMPTOMS AMONG MENTALLY-ILL CHEMICAL ABUSERSIN LONG-TERM RESIDENTIAL-TREATMENT PROGRAMS

We examined patterns of changes in psychiatric symptoms among mentally ill chemical abusers (MICAs) in long-term residential treatment. Clie nts were evaluated with various measures of psychopathology, referred to a therapeutic community (TC) or community residence, and reassessed after 2, 6, and 12 months of treatment with regard to anxiety depress ive symptoms, and psychotic ideation. Reductions in mean values of psy chopathology were found only for anxiety and depressive symptoms at th e TC during the first 2 months of treatment. However an examination of changing patterns of symptoms revealed a more complex set of findings . At both programs, a significant number of MICAs showed reductions in psychopathology during treatment a significant minority exhibited no improvements in psychiatric symptoms, and a few reported new symptoms of anxiety depression, and psychotic ideation. We conclude that the sy mptoms of the vast majority of MICAs are highly labile during treatmen t.