The National Treatment Improvement Evaluation Study : Retention Analysis / Rob Orwin and Valerie Williams.

This study focuses on programmatic factors that predict retention for individuals in drug and alcohol treatment programs through secondary analysis of data from the National Treatment Improvement Evaluation Study (NTIES). It addresses the relationships between completion rates, lengths of stay, and treatment modality. It examines the effect of program-level factors on treatment retention. NTIES intake and treatment episode completion data for 3,117 clients across 61 service delivery units were used in the study. Data were organized into eight analysis cells defined by treatment modality and intended length of stay. Results show that, in general, shorter programs have higher treatment episode completion rates but longer programs retain clients for longer periods. Long-term residential programs exhibit higher treatment episode completion rates than long-term outpatient or correctional programs. The median length of stay for clients in long-term or correctional programs with intended lengths of treatment of 120 days or more were lower than in the 90-119 day programs, suggesting that setting the intended length of treatment at 120 days or more may be counterproductive with respect to retaining clients. Implications for research, policy, and practice are discussed. An appendix provides a description of the National Treatment Improvement Evaluation Study and Center for Substance Abuse Treatment Demonstrations (1990-1992). (Contains 12 tables and 24 references.) (MKA)

Microfiche. [Washington D.C.]: ERIC Clearinghouse microfiches : positive.