Community reinforcement training for family and significant others of drugabusers: a unilateral intervention to increase treatment entry of drug users

We randomly assigned 32 concerned family members and significant others (FS Os) of drug users (DUs) to a community reinforcement training intervention or a popular 12-step self-help group. We measured problems arising from the DU's behavior, social functioning of the DU and FSO, and mood of the FSO a t baseline and 10 weeks later. We also monitored the FSOs' treatment attend ance and treatment entry of the DUs. The treatment groups showed equal redu ctions from baseline to follow-up in problems and improvements in social fu nctioning and mood of the FSO. However the community reinforcement interven tion was significantly better at retaining FSOs in treatment and inducing t reatment entry of the DUs. (C) 1999 Elsevier Science Ireland Ltd. All right s reserved.