Psychopathology and substance abuse as predictors of program completion in a therapeutic community for drug abusers: a prospective study

Abstract

A total of 144 substance abusers entering consecutively a hierarchical therapeutic community, Phoenix House, Oslo, were followed prospectively 18 months through the entire program. Thirty percent completed the 1-year inpatient phase and 20% completed the total program. Using a structured interview and 3 self-report instruments, the Millon Clinical Multiaxial Inventory, Basic Character Inventory and Symptom Checklist-90, significant differences between dropouts and completers were found in 3 areas of pre-admission characteristics: gender, substance abuse and psychopathology. Completers were characterized by a greater percentage of females, a higher frequency of amphetamine use and a lower frequency of alcohol use and a higher frequency of histrionic and a lower frequency of schizotypal traits than dropouts. The study indicates the importance of paying closer attention to these factors during treatment.