Impact of Iowa Case Management on Provisions of Social Support for Substance Abuse Clients

Abstract

Substance abuse can have a devastating effect on the social support networks of individuals. This article describes the impact of a comprehensive model of case management on substance abuse treatment clients'perceptions of social support. Social support was defined using a well-documented typology identifying six provisions for social support. The Iowa Case Management Project (ICMP) for Rural Drug Abuse was a randomized clinical trial using a longitudinal design. Clients were recruited from the residential treatment program of one rural Midwestern substance abuse treatment agency and were randomly assigned to one of three experimental conditions that received case management according to a strengths-based model or to a control group. Client perceptions of social support were measured up to 12 months after treatment initiation. Results indicated that case management positively impacted overall perceptions of social support subsequent to treatment admission, as well as perceptions of support in two of the six provisions of support. Reassurances of worth, which is the recognition of one's competence, skills, and value by others, and attachment, which reflects close emotional bonds with others, were both significantly improved for clients who received case management. However, the effectiveness of case management in improving social support appears to be limited to clients who are married or have significant partners.