QUANTITATIVE TEST OF THE EFFECTIVENESS OF AN EXPERIMENTAL TREATMENT PROGRAMME FOR DELINQUENT OPIATE ADDICTS

• NCJ Number: 28000
• Author(s): B C MURPHY
• Date Published: 1972
• Length: 59 pages
• Corporate Author: Canada Department of Justice
• Sale Source: Information Canada
• Publication Type: Program/Project Evaluation
• Language: English
• Country: Canada

Annotation

A DESCRIPTION AND EVALUATION OF THE PILOT TREATMENT UNIT EXPERIMENTAL TREATMENT WHICH INVOLVED A THERAPEUTIC COMMUNITY FRAMEWORK, DAILY GROUP THERAPY OF AN EXISTENTIALIST VARIETY, AND REMEDIAL EDUCATION.

Abstract

THE STUDY COMPARED THE 14 PILOT TREATMENT UNIT SUBJECTS WITH A CONTROL GROUP OF 12 SUBJECTS WHO RECEIVED TRADITIONAL TREATMENT. SPECIALLY DEVELOPED QUANTITATIVE INTERVIEW MEASURES OF RESPONSE RATES WERE ADMINISTERED TO SUBJECTS BEFORE AND AFTER TREATMENT TO INDICATE TREATMENT EFFECT. THESE MEASURES WERE INCORPORATED INTO A CONVENTIONAL RANDOMIZED BLOCK EXPERIMENTAL DESIGN WHICH, HOWEVER, HAD TO BE MODIFIED SOMEWHAT DUE TO ADMINISTRATIVE PROBLEMS. SOMEWHAT SURPRISINGLY, THE FAVOURED EXPERIMENTAL TREATMENT WAS FOUND TO BE SIGNIFICANTLY LESS EFFECTIVE THAN THE CONTROL TREATMENT. AN HYPOTHESIS TO EXPLAIN THIS UNEXPECTED RESULT IS ADVANCED AND EXAMINED IN THE LIGHT OF THE DATA. IN ADDITION, THE RELATIONSHIP BETWEEN OPIATE USE AND ECONOMIC CRIME, THE RELATIONSHIP BETWEEN PRESCRIBED OPIATES AND ILLICIT OPIATE USE, AND THE RELATIONSHIP BETWEEN DRUG USE AND AGGRESSIVE BEHAVIOUR, ARE DISCUSSED IN TERMS OF THE DATA. (AUTHOR ABSTRACT MODIFIED)