Abstract
Positive, abstinence-oriented, social support is associated with good substance abuse treatment outcome but few interventions are designed to help patients improve their social supports. This article reports on a behavioral intervention designed to encourage opioid-dependent patients receiving methadone to include drug-free family members or friends in treatment and to use these individuals to facilitate development of a supportive, non-drug-using social network. This report uses data from a quality assurance program review of the treatment response of 59 opioid-dependent outpatients who identified a drug-free significant other to participate in their treatment. Fifty-five (93.2%) brought a significant other (most often the patient's mother, 29%) to both the initial evaluation session and at least one joint session. Social support activities were family- (33%), church- (28%), and self-help group-related (30%). Approximately 78% of patients who participated in the social support intervention achieved at least four consecutive weeks of abstinence. Women responded better than men. We conclude that methadone-maintained patients can and will include non-drug-using family members and friends in treatment, and these individuals can be mobilized to help patients improve their recovery.
Original language | English (US) |
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Pages (from-to) | 19-27 |
Number of pages | 9 |
Journal | Journal of Substance Abuse Treatment |
Volume | 29 |
Issue number | 1 |
DOIs | |
State | Published - Jul 2005 |
Externally published | Yes |
Keywords
- Adaptive treatment
- Community reinforcement
- Drug abuse
- Significant other
- Social support
ASJC Scopus subject areas
- Psychiatry and Mental health
- Clinical Psychology
- Phychiatric Mental Health
- Medicine (miscellaneous)