Client characteristics and therapist style: a combined analysis of impact on retention and
effectiveness in outpatient substance abuse treatment
Engelsk titel: Client characteristics and therapist style: a combined analysis of impact on retention and
effectiveness in outpatient substance abuse treatment
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Författare:
Saarnio, Pekka
;
Knuuttila, Vesa
;
Kuusisto, Katja
Email: vesa.knuuttila@uta.fi
Språk: Eng
Antal referenser: 66
Dokumenttyp:
Artikel
UI-nummer: 11123058
Sammanfattning
Aims – To explore the effects of client and therapist characteristics along with percentage of days
abstinent before admission on retention and effectiveness of outpatient substance abuse treatment.
DESIGN – The study was implemented with naturalistic principles and prospective design. The clients
(N = 327) and the therapists (N = 33) were recruited from Finnish outpatient treatment units (N = 7).
RESULTS – The client’s low readiness to change, the therapist’s low directiveness and low empathy
predicted short duration of treatment. Client’s past substance use frequency was likewise a significant
predictor of retention in treatment; clients with low percentage of days abstinent at baseline dropped
out much more easily. The client’s high anger and low percentage of days abstinent at baseline was
found to predict low percentage of days abstinent at follow-up. Greater satisfaction with support from
therapist was predicted by client’s high readiness to change and lower substance use frequency
at baseline. CONCLUSIONS – Retention in treatment was predicted by both client’s and therapist’s
characteristics, while effectiveness in outpatient substance abuse treatment was more dependent on
client’s characteristics and earlier substance use.