Search

Two papers have appeared in the literature recently reporting the use of the Severity of Opiate Dependence Questionnaire (SODQ) with American and British samples of opiate addicts. This paper presents the findings of a third study. The SODQ was completed by a further 126 subjects attending the original New York Clinic and the results largely confirmed our earlier findings: first the four main sections of the SODQ each give a strong first factor and secondly when these are combined a strong overall factor emerges. These results are again at variance with those found in the British sample and possible reasons briefly discussed. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Editorial. Focuses on the gap between research results and treatment practice in alcoholism in the U.S. Role of research in the development of alcohol treatment programs; Factors that limit the extent to which program designers and frontline clinicians take account of the results of treatment research; Ways of aligning the interests of clinicians and researchers.

Claims of impressive outcome figures for the Minnesota Model find some support in published studies, with as many as two thirds of admissions apparently achieving a genuinely good outcome at 1-year follow-up. However, methodological criticisms of these studies indicate the need for further research incorporating control or comparison treatment groups, longer follow-up, more rigorous assessment procedures, and clearly defined diagnostic/outcome criteria. The powerful ideology of the programme provokes criticism but is apparently central to its success. It incorporates a number of therapeutic elements known or suspected to be of value in the management of drug/alcohol dependence. While some clients or patients and professionals alike may react against this treatment model we all have much to learn from it, and many are undoubtedly helped by it. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]