Teen Females Stay in Drug Treatment
According to the results of a recent study by Dr. Pamela Noel of the University of Iowa, case management improves retention of at risk adolescent females in substance abuse treatment. It is the commitment of case management implementation and not the treatment intensity that predicts decreased risk of dropping out of drug treatment. In the model used by the study, case managers focused on helping the teens to become aware of negative thoughts and their destructive impact. Teaching to replace negative thoughts with positive thoughts and constructive ways of thinking about experiences, the case managers also emphasized teaching life skills needed to change how the teens function and interact with others and real world situations.
The study followed the progress of 90 adolescent females who underwent 16 weeks of alcohol and drug treatment. It compared the progress of 23 who received case management during treatment with that of 67 who did not receive case management during treatment. All participated in learning sessions that covered adolescent health and development, sexual responsibility, and child development. Participants also received transportation to and from treatment and case management sessions, $25, and at least one meal or snack. Those teens who had children were reimbursed for childcare expenses.
Case management services enhanced primary treatment through face-to-face, one-hour, weekly meetings. Case managers also helped the teens deal with issues that would have inhibited active participation in the drug rehab treatment program. Those teens who received case management, the results revealed, attended an average of 12 treatment sessions, while those who did not receive case management attended an average of eight treatment sessions. Additionally, the ability of the case manager to perform his or her duties effectively by adhering to a set standard of care greatly increased treatment retention.
This study shows that faithful implementation of a case management model may have a greater influence on reducing attrition among adolescent female substance abusers in therapy. This is important because people who remain in treatment for chemical dependency abuse have better outcomes than those who drop out prematurely, and attrition rates seem to be highest among adolescent populations.
Dr. Pamela Noel of the University of Iowa published her research in the July-September 2006 issue of The American Journal of Drug and Alcohol Abuse.
Source: National Institute on Drug Abuse
