NCJ Number
185313
Journal
Journal of Addictions and Offender Counseling Volume: 21 Issue: 1 Dated: October 2000 Pages: 2-11
Date Published
October 2000
Length
10 pages
Annotation
This article reviews major recent studies that support the effectiveness of professional counseling, Alcoholics Anonymous, and specialty programs for treating alcohol and drug problems; the American Society of Addiction Medicine's guidelines for referral to substance abuse services are described, along with examples of integrated treatment approaches.
Abstract
One of the most important recent studies that has documented the effectiveness of professional treatment was the multisite study conducted by the Project MATCH Research Group (1997). This project was originally designed to match clients with alcohol problems to different types of professional alcohol treatment. Clients were randomly assigned to one of three types of individual treatment: cognitive-behavioral, motivational interviewing, or 12-step facilitation. Although the research was not able to show that particular subtypes of clients with alcohol problems responded differently to these approaches, it did demonstrate significant and sustained reductions in alcoholic beverage consumption at a 1-year follow-up for all three treatments. These findings are consistent with other large-scale studies and recent reviews of the literature. A review of research on specialty programs focuses on social model programs, which are residential programs that rely heavily on the 12-step program of Alcoholics Anonymous and peer support for recovery within a supportive and abstinent living environment; therapeutic community treatment; methadone maintenance; and outpatient treatment. Other major sections of this article review the assessment of interventions in the clinical context, the assessment and referral criteria of the American Society of Addiction Medicine, and the integration of professional counseling and specialized programs. The author concludes that a perspective that incorporates and is able to draw on professional treatment, self-help groups, and specialized substance abuse programs is most likely to be effective in addressing clients' needs. 34 references