Dual Diagnosis Self-Help Referral

Dual Diagnosis Clinical Trial

Official title: Dual Diagnosis Self-Help Group Referral: Outcomes and Services Use

Status Completed

Clinical Trial Summary

This project will help counselors in substance abuse treatment programs make effective referrals of dually diagnosed patients (those with a co-occurring psychiatric disorder) to self-help groups.

Clinical Trial Description

Background:

Dual diagnosis (psychiatric and substance use) patients' (DDPs) participation in 12-step mutual-help groups is linked to lower relapse and treatment utilization rates. However, under usual referral, many DDPs do not attend, or sustain attendance of, substance-focused groups (SFG). DDPs may benefit from dual-focused groups (DFGs).

Objectives:

(1) Implement and validate procedures to help counselors make effective referrals to DFGs. DDPs were assigned to a standard- or intensive-referral to DFG condition to determine the extent to which intensive referral, compared to standard referral, increased patients' mutual-help group participation. (2) Determine whether DDPs who received intensive referral had better substance use and psychiatric outcomes.

Methods:

DDPs entering VA outpatient mental health treatment received either standard (N=145) or intensive (N=142) referral. Standard referral consisted essentially of the counselor recommending DFG participation. The keys to intensive referral were a DFG orientation and the counselor facilitating direct contact between the patient and a DFG member, and following up on recommendations for mutual help. Patients were followed at six months (80%), one year (81%) and two years (80%) to determine whether intensive referral resulted in more DFG and SFG participation, and better substance use and psychiatric outcomes.

Status:

Completed. ;

Related Conditions & MeSH terms

• Dual Diagnosis

• NCT number: NCT00286728
• Study type: Interventional
• Source: VA Office of Research and Development
• Status: Completed
• Phase: N/A
• Start date: April 2006
• Completion date: September 2010