Rc. Sterling et al., THERAPIST PATIENT RACE AND SEX MATCHING - TREATMENT RETENTION AND 9-MONTH FOLLOW-UP OUTCOME/, Addiction, 93(7), 1998, pp. 1043-1050
Aims. The current study was conducted to (a) replicate previous findin
gs regarding the effect of patient/therapist race and sex-matching as
this relates to the early dropout rate of substance abusers, and (b) t
o extend previous work by examining the impact of such matching on tre
atment retention and 9-month outcome. Design. Patient and therapist ch
aracteristics were crossed in a 2 x 2 factorial design. Matching effec
ts were then tested wing retrospective data. Participants. Participant
s were 967 African-American cocaine-dependent people. Setting. The stu
dy site was a university sponsored outpatient treatment facility locat
ed in an economically depressed section of a large Northeastern US cit
y. Measurements. Follow-up data were drawn from the Addiction Severity
Index, the Risk for AIDS Behavior Inventory, and a questionnaire meas
uring post-discharge need for treatment, employment and education. Ret
ention was defined as the number of days inclusive between the last da
te of service and the date of admission. Findings. No significant diff
erences in early dropout rates were found after initial contact with 1
0 different therapists. Matching therapists and patients with respect
to gender and race did not decrease the premature dropout rate, but pa
rtial support for gender matching was noted. Conclusions. Matching the
rapists and substance abusing patients on gender and race may not be e
ssential to improving retention and outcome.