Impact of attention-deficit hyperactivity disorder and other psychopathology on treatment retention among cocaine abusers in a therapeutic community

Abstract

Although there are some data suggesting that individuals with depressive disorders may be more likely to remain in treatment than those without depressive disorders, it is less clear how well other psychiatric subgroups compare to those without psychiatric comorbidity. This sample is a follow-up study of 135 individuals who were admitted into a therapeutic community. Individuals with attention-deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD), other Axis I disorders (no ADHD), and no Axis I disorders were compared. Although individuals with other Axis I disorders had a strikingly low early drop-out rate, after a prolonged time in treatment, the drop-out rate increased substantially, such that these individuals were found to complete treatment at a lower rate (17%) than those with no Axis I disorders (29%). Furthermore, individuals with ADHD were less likely to graduate treatment than those with other Axis I or no Axis I disorders (0%, 9%, and 19%, respectively). Future investigations may be useful to determine whether pharmacologic or nonpharmacologic interventions might improve treatment outcome.