Treatment satisfaction compared with outcome in severe dual disorders

This paper examines patient (N = 75) ratings of treatment satisfaction and outcome for severely mentally ill dually diagnosed outpatients participatin g in long-term integrated dual focus treatment. In addition, it compares th ese ratings with case manager ratings of patient outcome over a one year pe riod. Satisfaction ratings ranged from very good to excellent. Combined mea ns of several outcomes ratings indicated that most patients rated themselve s as improved. Satisfaction with over-all care and with case management was significantly, though weakly (r = .3 and .31, respectively, p < .05), rela ted to patient ratings of overall outcome. While most patients rated that t hey had improved, satisfaction with treatment was only weakly related to ei ther patient or ease manager rated clinical outcomes. These findings indica te the relatively independent relationship of satisfaction with treatment o utcome and caution against over generalizing the meaning of treatment satis faction measures.