Four Models of Telephone Support for Stimulant Recovery

For treatment interventions to provide the desired result of long term abstinence, it is important to develop strategies to enhance the effectiveness of continued care approaches. We plan to conduct a prospective, randomized comparison of four models of counselor-provided telephone support as strategies to promote patient aftercare attendance and sustained abstinence from stimulant use. To this end, we will develop and compare the efficacy of four low-cost telephone support protocols for patients who have completed the intensive phase of a structured, outpatient stimulant abuse treatment program. Some 500 participants completing a 4-month Matrix Outpatient Model of stimulant abuse treatment will be randomly assigned to one of four counseling groups (n=100 per group): (1) unstructured/non-directive, (2) structured/non-directive, (3) unstructured/directive, or (4) structured/directive telephone counseling, or (5) a control group consisting of standard referral to Matrix aftercare, for a total sample size of 500. The two structured conditions will be based on the behavioral "prompts" identified by Farabee et al. (2002)* as being associated with drug avoidance. In the non-directive conditions, subjects will be allowed to state their own goals and how they intend to achieve them. In the directive conditions, the counselor will provide specific recommendations to help the subject adopt as many of the drug-avoidance activities as possible. Outcomes will be tracked for 12 months following completion of primary treatment (a total of 16 months after treatment admission) and will include measurement of participation in drug-avoidance activities (including aftercare participation) as well as self-reported and objective measures of substance use and related behavior change.

*Farabee, D., Rawson, R.A., & McCann, M. (2002). Adoption of drug avoidance activities among patients in contingency management and cognitive-behavioral treatments. Journal of Substance Abuse Treatment, 23, 343-350.

Inclusion criteria

• Males or females, 18-65 years of age.
• Meet DSM-IV criteria (at the time of treatment admission) for cocaine or methamphetamine abuse/dependence.
• Have completed the primary phase of treatment at a Matrix outpatient clinic.
• Have telephone access throughout the study procedures.
• Be able to understand and complete rating scales and to follow instructions.
• Be willing to sign an informed consent form.

Exclusion criteria

• Have participated in a treatment-related study conducted by the PI and colleagues during the previous 3 years and/or is currently enrolled in a treatment-related study.
• Have any medical, legal, housing or transportation problem which would preclude either safe or consistent participation.
• Have dropped out of the primary phase of treatment prior to completion.