Treatment Process Predictors of Program Completion or Dropout among Minority Adolescents Enrolled in a Brief Motivational Substance Abuse Intervention

• NCJ Number: 238221
• Journal: Journal of Child & Adolescent Substance Abuse Volume: 21 Issue: 1 Dated: January - March 2012 Pages: 51-68
• Author(s): Millie Cordardo; Jonathan G. Tubman; Eric F. Wagner; Staci Leon Morris
• Date Published: January 2012
• Length: 18 pages
• Grant Number(s): R01 AA12180; R01 AA13369; R01 AA14322; R01 AA13825
• Sponsoring Agency: US Dept of Health and Human Services
• Publication Format: Article
• Publication Type: Report (Study/Research)
• Language: English
• Country: United States of America

Annotation

This study documents significant differences in alliance in a predominantly Latino sample of adolescents who either completed or dropped out of a Guided Self-Change treatment program.

Abstract

This study documents significant differences in alliance in a predominantly Latino sample of adolescents who either completed or dropped out of a Guided Self-Change treatment program. Therapeutic alliance, working alliance, and patient involvement were assessed via ratings of audio-recorded segments of participants' counseling sessions. Descriptive discriminant function analysis identified working alliance goals, patient participation, and therapist warmth and friendliness variables as significantly predictive of completion status. These results were confirmed via follow-up logistic regression analyses. The use of brief clinical tools to monitor and manage alliance among adolescents receiving treatment who are at risk for dropout is discussed. (Published Abstract)