Sello Revistas Científicas Españolas 2023

What variables facilitate therapeutic discharge in residential drug treatment services? A study in two therapeutic communities in Catalonia

Retention is the best predictor of therapeutic success in community-based substance abuse
treatment. Those that finalize the treatment having therapeutic discharge (TD) have best results
after the treatment than those who don’t get the TD. The objective of this study was analysed
variables related with TD (or another drop-off reasons) in two professionalized therapeutic
communities (TC) in Catalonia (Spain). The sample included people who started treatment in
the TC between March 2018 and March 2020. Median and variances comparison and contingence
tables were performed. A logistic regression was adjusted to determine variables with capacity
to predict TD. 223 patients were included and the 32,8% had TD. Patients with exclusively
alcohol-dependence diagnose had more TD than patients with diagnoses of cocaine-dependence
and heroin-dependence. Those who had previous experiences of treatment were riskier
of drop-off. Patients who referred worst health status and quality of live, more anxiety, worst
mood situation, more punctuation in the STAI test, more punctuation in the Beck depression
inventor or more impulsivity, had less TD. In conclusion some variables with capacity to predict
high probability of TD in community-based substance abuse treatment were identified. The time
spent under treatment, perception of quality of live and the diagnose of alcohol-dependence
exclusively were independent variables that predict better the TD.

 Download PDF

Authors

  • Fran Calvo - *Dirección Técnica, Fundación Salud y Comunidad, Barcelona **Serra Húnter Fellow, Departament de Pedagogia, Institut de Recerca sobre Qualitat de Vida, Universitat de Girona

  • Cristina Nafría - Dirección Técnica, Fundación Salud y Comunidad, Barcelona

  • Antoni Solanas - Departamento de Psicología Cuantitativa, Facultat de Psicología, Universitat de Barcelona

  • María González - Dirección Técnica, Fundación Salud y Comunidad, Barcelona

  • Clara Tresserras - Dirección Técnica, Fundación Salud y Comunidad, Barcelona

  • Grupo de trabajo de evaluación del tratamiento de FSC - Dirección Técnica, Fundación Salud y Comunidad, Barcelona

  • Xavier Ferrer - Dirección Técnica, Fundación Salud y Comunidad, Barcelona

Keywords:

Drug dependence, therapeutic community, mental health, drug-dependence treatment, addiction.

Share: