Prospective Risk Factors and Treatment Outcomes among Adolescents in DATOS-A

Abstract

The relationships between risk factors and outcomes in adolescents participating in the Drug Abuse Treatment Outcome Studies for Adolescents (DATOS-A) were examined. The study included 292 admissions to nine outpatient drug-free (ODF) and 418 admissions to eight residential (RES) programs. Assessments were administered at intake into treatment and 12 months following discharge. For ODF participants, (a) severity of drug use predicted less retention in treatment, and (b) family drug involvement predicted more alcohol use after treatment. For RES participants, (a) family drug involvement and criminal involvement predicted less treatment retention, and (b) conduct disorder predicted more marijuana use at follow-up. The findings underscore the need for intervention strategies that address the intrapsychic and interpersonal functioning of drug-abusing adolescents to improve their behavioral outcomes.