Predictors of engagement in adolescent drug abuse treatment

Objectives: To identify key demographic, parent, and adolescent characteris tics that influence engagement in outpatient drug abuse treatment. Method: Youths aged 12 to 17 years (N = 224; 81% male and 72% African American) ref erred for drug treatment and their parents participated in this study. Mari juana was the primary substance of abuse. Data were gathered prior to treat ment on demographic variables as well as on both parent and youth perspecti ves on youth, parent, and family functioning. Results: A discriminant funct ion analysis revealed that engagement in treatment was related to, in order of weighting, more positive parental expectations for their adolescent's e ducational achievement (standardized discriminant function coefficient [SDF ] = 0.68), higher parental reports of youth externalizing symptoms (SDF = 0 .59), and higher levels of family conflict perceived by the youth (SDF = 0. 36). Family income, gender, juvenile justice status, minority group status, family structure, parental age and psychopathology, and treatment characte ristics did not distinguish treatment-engaged from unengaged adolescents. C onclusions: The results suggest that both parent and youth perceptions are pivotal to whether or not adolescents are engaged in psychotherapy. These f indings lead the authors to recommend adolescent engagement interventions f ocusing on both the youth and his or her parents and suggest a content focu s for adolescent engagement interventions.