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. 2012 Apr;42(3):301-9.
doi: 10.1016/j.jsat.2011.09.003. Epub 2011 Oct 29.

A preliminary study of the effects of individual patient-level feedback in outpatient substance abuse treatment programs

Paul Crits-Christoph  1 , Sarah Ring-Kurtz, Jessica L Hamilton, Michael J Lambert, Robert Gallop, Bridget McClure, Agatha Kulaga, John Rotrosen
Affiliations

A preliminary study of the effects of individual patient-level feedback in outpatient substance abuse treatment programs

Paul Crits-Christoph et al. J Subst Abuse Treat. 2012 Apr.

Abstract

The purpose of this study was to examine the effects of feedback provided to counselors on the outcomes of patients treated at community-based substance abuse treatment programs. A version of the Outcome Questionnaire (OQ-45), adapted to include drug and alcohol use, was administered to patients (N = 304) in 3 substance abuse treatment clinics. Phase I of the study consisted only of administration of the assessment instruments. Phase II consisted of providing feedback reports to counselors based on the adapted OQ-45 at every treatment session up to Session 12. Patients who were found to not be progressing at an expectable rate (i.e., "offtrack") were administered a questionnaire that was used as a second feedback report for counselors. For offtrack patients, feedback compared with no feedback led to significant linear reductions in alcohol use throughout treatment and also in OQ-45 total scores and drug use from the point of the second feedback instrument to Session 12. The effect for improving mental health functioning was evident at only 1 of the 3 clinics. These results suggest that a feedback system adapted to the treatment of substance use problems is a promising approach that should be tested in a larger randomized trial.

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Figures

Figure 1
Figure 1
Estimated trend lines for OQ-45 Total Scores, Alcohol Use, and Drug Use over Treatment Sessions.
Figure 2
Figure 2
Estimated trend lines for OQ-45 Total Scores, Alcohol Use, and Drug Use From the Off-Track Session to Session 12.
See this image and copyright information in PMC

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