Therapist/Patient Matching and Early Treatment Dropout

Abstract

This study of intake procedures was initiated with a view towards reducing the early dropout rate of substance abusers. Eight different therapists conducted intake interviews of 634 cocaine dependent, first admissions to an outpatient cocaine treatment program. No significant differences in return rate were found across either the eight therapists or their level of academic training. We found that matching therapists and patients with respect to gender and race for the intake interview did not increase the proportion of patients returning for a second visit. In addition, the hypothesis that providing a sense of continuity by having the therapist who conducted the intake interview become the treatment therapist did not result in a higher return rate than if the patient was assigned to a different treatment therapist. Although the results do not indicate methods of further reducing early treatment dropouts they are helpful in reducing concerns about who conducts intake interviews and how patients are assigned.

Drug Treatment Effectiveness and Client-Counselor Empathy: Exploring the Effects of Gender and Ethnic Congruency

“…Unfortunately, the contradictory findings of the few existing studies addressing this question do not allow such a recommendation. Some studies find that similarity between therapist and patient on variables such as age, race, gender, and sexual orientation has a positive influence on treatment outcome (Beane 1981;Gardner 1971;Griffith, and Jones 1978;Luborsky, Chandler, Auerbach, Cohen, and Auerbach 1971), but other studies do not corroborate these findings (Atkinson and Schein 1986;Gottheil, Sterling, Weinstein and Kurtz 1994;Sue 1988).…”

Patients Who Miss Initial Appointments in Community Psychiatry? a Spanish Community Analysis

“…In the USA it is estimated that 125,000 deaths, hundreds of thousands of hospitalisations, and ixiillions of working days lost, result from non-compliance. In recent years this phenomenon has been included in the general framework of the doctor/ patient relationship (Meise et al 1992; Gottheil et al 1994;Steiner & Vetter, 1994;Spaeth, 1995), losing its pejorative nature (Holm, 1993;Dunbar-Jacob, 1993;Cohen, 1993;Diamond & Factor, 1994) and acquiring a non-punitive nuance, to be viewed as a reasoned action on the part of the patient (Donovan & Blake, 1992).…”

Health disparities and culturally specific treatment: Perspectives and expectancies of African American smokers

“…Although CS intervention studies tend to match participants and research staff racially, empirical evidence for a positive effect on outcomes is limited. Indeed, previous research has found that gender and race matching does not improve retention or outcomes (Gottheil, Sterling, Weinstein, & Kurtz, 1994;Sterling, Gottheil, Weinstein, & Serota, 1998;Striley, Margavio, & Cottler, 2006). This group of participants also expressed concerns regarding possible discrimination or inequity in treatment quality due to a focus on culture and race.…”