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Drug abuse treatment entry and engagement: Report of a meeting on treatment readiness
Author(s) -
Battjes Robert J.,
Onken Lisa S.,
Delany Peter J.
Publication year - 1999
Publication title -
journal of clinical psychology
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 1.124
H-Index - 119
eISSN - 1097-4679
pISSN - 0021-9762
DOI - 10.1002/(sici)1097-4679(199905)55:5<643::aid-jclp11>3.0.co;2-s
Subject(s) - psychology , drug , substance abuse , psychotherapist , psychiatry , clinical psychology
Although the effectiveness of drug abuse treatment has been demonstrated repeatedly, many drug abusers do not enter treatment, many who do enter leave prematurely, and relapse following treatment is common. To further research treatment entry and engagement, the National Institute on Drug Abuse convened scientists representing diverse research traditions in December 1996. This article summarizes meeting presentations and recommendations. Presentations focused on treatment readiness/motivation for change, ethnographic reports of drug abusers' perceptions of and attitudes toward treatment, and reports on alternative treatments for high‐risk drug abusers. Recommendations focused on the potential contribution of qualitative research, integration of qualitative and quantitative research approaches, development of flexible treatment approaches that are cognizant of patients' life circumstances, and services research to improve the organization and delivery of drug abuse treatment. © 1999 John Wiley & Sons, Inc.; J Clin Psychol 55: 643–657, 1999.