Therapist reactions to manual-guided therapies for the treatment of adolescent marijuana users

Treatment researchers are increasingly advocating the use of evidenced-based treatment manuals. Here we describe therapist reactions to the use of manual-guided therapies in a multisite, randomized field experiment that evaluated five outpatient treatment protocols for adolescents who abuse or are dependent on marijuana. Data are summarized from qualitative interviews with 16 therapists and 3 case managers who provided the treatments. All of those interviewed felt that the manuals provided a structure to their therapeutic work, and the majority felt they were able to address individual patient needs. Therapists' reactions did vary depending on the type of manual they used (e.g., session-based, principle-based, or procedure-based). Recommendations for the development and use of manual-guided therapies to improve adolescent substance abuse treatment are discussed.