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Psychopathology and substance abuse as predictors of program completion in a therapeutic community for drug abusers: a prospective study
Author(s) -
Ravndal E.,
Vaglum P.
Publication year - 1991
Publication title -
acta psychiatrica scandinavica
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 2.849
H-Index - 146
eISSN - 1600-0447
pISSN - 0001-690X
DOI - 10.1111/j.1600-0447.1991.tb05528.x
Subject(s) - psychopathology , substance abuse , therapeutic community , psychology , psychiatry , checklist , clinical psychology , symptom checklist 90 , mental health , somatization , cognitive psychology
A total of 144 substance abusers entering consecutively a hierarchical therapeutic community, Phoenix House, Oslo, were followed prospectively 18 months through the entire program. Thirty percent completed the 1‐year inpatient phase and 20% completed the total program. Using a structured interview and 3 self‐report instruments, the Millon Clinical Multiaxial Inventory, Basic Character Inventory and Symptom Checklist‐90, significant differences between dropouts and completers were found in 3 areas of pre‐admission characteristics: gender, substance abuse and psychopathology. Completers were characterized by a greater percentage of females, a higher frequency of amphetamine use and a lower frequency of alcohol use and a higher frequency of histrionic and a lower frequency of schizotypal traits than dropouts. The study indicates the importance of paying closer attention to these factors durins treatment.