Coercion and drug treatment for postpartum women.

This research examined the extent to which various indicators of coercion were related to treatment retention in a gender-specific treatment program and a traditional outpatient program for pregnant and postpartum women who were mandated to enter treatment. Women who were given custody of their infant stayed in treatment longer than women who did not have custody. There was an interaction effect with women who had custody and were in the intensive day treatment program completing treatment at a much higher rate than those in the traditional program. Implications for social work professionals and policy makers are discussed.

Who drops out of drug-user treatment research on women?

Attrition or dropping out is an important methodological issue in drug-user treatment research. The purpose of this study was to describe and explain the degree of subject attrition-more specifically, postinclusion attrition-within the context of a research demonstration project which focused on a women's sensitive approach to drug-user treatment. Demographic variables, psychosocial outcome measures, and two treatment variables were examined as possible predictors of attrition from research participation. Findings showed attrition rates increased from admission, peaked at 3-month follow-up, and then declined substantially by the 12-month follow-up period. A logistic regression analysis showed only treatment discharge status to significantly predict subject attrition.

The course of depressive symptoms over time for women who completed drug treatment.

The purpose of the present study was to (a) describe the trend in depressive symptoms in a sample of postpartum women who used cocaine and who completed drug treatment; and (b) to examine possible correlates of those trends including treatment type and selected pretreatment characteristics. Self-reported levels of depressive symptoms improved from treatment entry to discharge and remained relatively stable through three postdischarge follow-up points. Baseline level of depression was the only pretreatment factor that was correlated with the trend in depressive symptoms. And length of time in treatment, previous drug treatment, and baseline severity of drug use were not.

Predicting treatment retention of women dependent on cocaine.

The purpose of this research was (a) to assess differences in retention patterns and discharge status across three program settings; and (b) to examine selected pretreatment characteristics that might help predict treatment retention, which was operationalized as length of time in treatment. Three groups of pretreatment characteristics were examined. They included demographic factors, drug use and treatment history, and psychological status and symptomology. Clients in the intensive day treatment program tended to stay longer and were more likely to successfully complete the program than either clients in the outpatient or the traditional residential programs. In general, pretreatment client characteristics were not helpful in predicting length of time in treatment regardless of program type. Few pretreatment characteristics were related to retention within programs and significant predictors differed across treatment settings.