PATIENT-TREATMENT MATCHING IN SUBSTANCE-ABUSE - DRUG-ADDICTION SEVERITY

In this study, a mixed group of 60 substance-dependent patients were r andomly assigned to 12 weeks of treatment in either a high-structure, behaviorally oriented (HSB) or a low-structure, facilitative (LSF) ind ividual counseling style. We tested the hypothesis that patients with a more severe pretreatment drug problem will realize greater treatment benefit in HSB counseling, while those with a less severe problem wil l benefit more in the LSF approach. Six counselors provided the treatm ents in a counterbalanced design that controlled for possible differen ces in counselor effectiveness. Treatment benefit comparisons with res pect to the counselors' posttreatment ratings, the number of counselin g sessions attended, reduction in problem severity, and substance use during treatment were consistently in the hypothesized direction. Thes e findings provide at least partial support for the notion that treatm ent benefit for substance abuse patients can be improved through appro priate patient-treatment matching on the basis of addiction severity. Published by Elsevier Science Inc.