Program Factors and Treatment Outcomes in Drug Dependence Treatment: An Examination Using Meta-Analysis

In comparison with studies of client characteristics and treatment processes, limited research has been conducted on how program features of drug dependence treatment programs may affect client outcomes. Of particular interest are those characteristics of programs that may have a clinically signific...

Full description

Saved in:
Bibliographic Details
Published in:Substance use & misuse 2000-01, Vol.35 (12-14), p.1931-1965
Main Authors: Prendergast, Michael L., Podus, Deborah, Chang, Eunice
Format: Article
Language:English
Subjects:
Ambulatory Care
Crime - prevention & control
Drug dependency
Humans
Meta-analysis
Metaanalysis
Methadone - therapeutic use
Outcome Assessment (Health Care)
Outcomes
Program effects
Programmes
Quality Assurance, Health Care
Substance-Related Disorders - rehabilitation
Therapeutic Community
Treatment
Treatment effectiveness
Treatment modalities
Citations: Items that this one cites
Items that cite this one
Online Access:Get full text
Tags: Add Tag
No Tags, Be the first to tag this record!
Description
Summary:In comparison with studies of client characteristics and treatment processes, limited research has been conducted on how program features of drug dependence treatment programs may affect client outcomes. Of particular interest are those characteristics of programs that may have a clinically significant impact on outcomes and that are amenable to change within programs. This study examines the impact of various program factors on client outcomes using data from a meta-analysis of drug dependence effectiveness studies (n = 143). Because of heterogeneity among studies, the data are analyzed in terms of type of outcome variable (drug use and crime), type of design (single-group and treatment-comparison group), and type of treatment (methadone maintenance, therapeutic communities, outpatient drug free, and detoxification). For the more valid treatment-comparison group studies, the weighted mean effect size was 0.29 for drug use outcomes and 0.17 for crime outcomes. Program factors found to be significantly correlated with effect size in one or more modalities were decade of treatment, researcher involvement in treatment delivery, maturity of the program, counselor/client ratio, treatment implementation, treatment exposure, and methadone dosage.
ISSN:1082-6084
1532-2491
DOI:10.3109/10826080009148246