The aims of this study is to carry out a long-term follow-up evaluation of a well-established therapeutic community treatment for addictions in Navarre (Spain) and to make a comparison between the program completers and the dropouts, as well as between relapsing and nonrelapsing patients, on a broad set of variables. A long-term follow-up design (mean of 6 years after leaving treatment) was used to analyze the outcomes of the therapeutic program. The sample consisted of 155 subjects (113 completers and 42 dropouts). A personal interview was carried out with each one of the located subjects. The interviews took place between September 2000 and September 2004. Treatment "dropouts" manifested a higher and earlier rate both of relapses, and of new treatments for their drug addiction than the completion group. The program was also effective in reducing criminal behavior and improving the state of health. Significant differences were found across outcome variables when comparison was made between treatment completers and "dropouts." All subjects improved on outcome variables after receiving the treatment. When relapsing and nonrelapsing patients were compared, significant outcome differences were also found between groups. The study's limitations are noted and future needed research is suggested.

López-Goñi JJ, Fernández-Montalvo J, Illescas C, Landa N, Lorea I. Determining socio-demographic predictors of treatment dropout: results in a therapeutic community Int J Soc Welfare 2008: 17: 374-378 This article presents a study of a number of sociodemographic factors that predict treatment dropout from a residential substance use disorder programme in Spain ( Proyecto Hombre Therapeutic Community). A sample of 430 patients (173 who completed treatment and 257 who dropped out of treatment) was assessed at entry to the therapeutic community programme in order to collect information on socio-demographic characteristics of the participants. According to the results obtained, factors that predicted treatment dropout included younger age, male gender and previous treatment history in the Proyecto Hombre therapeutic community. Patients with these characteristics were at significantly greater risk of dropping out of treatment. The implications of these results for further research and clinical practice are commented upon.

This paper explores the personality disorders most commonly related to cocaine addiction. The samples used were 60 cocaine-addicted patients, who were assessed with the MCMI-II before treatment, and 50 normative participants from the general population with the same demographic features (age, sex and socioeconomic level). According to the results, 36.7% of the clinical sample (versus 16% of the normative sample) showed at least one personality disorder. The most prevalent disorders in the cocaine sample were Passive-Aggressive Personality Disorder and Dependent Personality Disorder (10% in each case), followed by Obsessive-Compulsive Personality Disorder and Histrionic Personality Disorder (6.7% each). Moreover, 15% of the clinical sample showed more than one personality disorder. Finally, the implications of this study for clinical practice and future research in this field are discussed. Key words: cocaine addiction, personality disorders, comorbidity. MCMI-II, assessment.En este artículo se lleva a cabo un estudio de los trastornos de personalidad asociados a la adicción a la cocaína. Para ello se contó con una muestra de 60 pacientes cocainómanos, que cumplimentaron el MCMI-II antes del tratamiento, y de 50 sujetos de la población normal con las mismas características demográficas (edad, sexo y nivel socioeconómico). El 36,7% de la muestra clínica (frente al 16% de la muestra normativa) presentaba, al menos, un trastorno de personalidad. Los trastornos de mayor prevalencia entre los cocainómanos fueron el trastorno pasivo-agresivo de la personalidad y el trastorno dependiente de la personalidad (10% cada uno de ellos), seguidos del trastorno obsesivo-compulsivo y el histriónico (6,7% cada uno). Asimismo, el 15% de la muestra clínica presentaba simultáneamente dos o más trastornos. Por último, se comentan las implicaciones de este estudio para la práctica clínica y para las investigaciones futuras.Palabras clave: adicción a la cocaína, trastornos de personalidad, comorbilidad, MCMI-II, evaluación. recibido: julio 2008 aceptado: diciembre 2008 Adicción a la cocaína y trastornos de personalidad: un estudio con el MCMI-II Cocaine addiction and personality disorders: a study with the MCMI-II

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Este estudio se ha financiado con un proyecto de investigación del Departamento de Salud del Gobierno de Navarra (código 35/2001).