Spring 1996 Issue

Front Page

NIDA NOTES highlights DATAR Project; node-link mapping

Research Highlights

Criminal Justice treatment initiatives

Improving methadone treatment

Workplace culture and substance abuse

Psychological problems among probationers

Also in this Issue

DATAR Continuation up and running

Men's treatment enhancement workshop piloted

IBR receives University Commendation

NIDA NOTES highlights DATAR Project; node-link mapping

The upcoming issue of the National Institute on Drug Abuse (NIDA) newsletter, NIDA Notes, will feature several articles on the first phase of DATAR (Improving Drug Abuse Treatment for AIDS-Risk Reduction), a treatment demonstration project begun by IBR in 1989. DATAR focuses on analyzing drug treatment process and developing new techniques to improve treatment effectiveness, reduce client dropout, and prevent relapse. A continuation of the DATAR project (which now stands for Improving Drug Abuse Treatment Assessment Research) was recently funded by NIDA.

IBR Director Dr. Dwayne Simpson observes that in its first 6 years "the DATAR project collected a wealth of data, allowing us to use state-of-the-art analytical tools to look at important variables in the treatment process that impact client motivation, retention, and behavior. In addition, we have produced a number of practical, hands-on treatment manuals for counselors to use in helping clients improve their knowledge, skills, and commitment to recovery."

The newsletter also showcases one of the most significant treatment enhancement strategies used in the DATAR project, a visual representation counseling technique called node-link mapping. In recent years, TCU Psychology Professor and developer of node-link mapping, Dr. Donald Dansereau, has published a number of studies that lend support to the usefulness of this technique in drug abuse counseling. Working with IBR colleagues Drs. George Joe, Sandra Dees, and Urvashi Petri, Mike Czuchry, and Drs. Danica Knight and Dwayne Simpson, it has been found that node-link mapping is especially beneficial for clients who have attentional problems, those who use cocaine, those with less education, and with African-American and Mexican-American clients. In addition, using node-link mapping in counseling sessions appears to improve session attendance, the efficiency with which issues are handled, and the therapeutic relationship between clients and counselors. Other studies indicate that clients exposed to mapping techniques as part of counseling seem to be more successful in reducing drug use and criminal activity.

Research Highlights

Criminal justice treatment initiatives

Prison-based substance abuse treatment programs, especially those that combine intensive residential treatment with structured aftercare, appear to be associated with lower relapse and recidivism rates during the first 6 months following prison release. Associate Research Scientist Dr. Kevin Knight, in a recent assessment study of the In-Prison Therapeutic Community (ITC) component of the Texas Criminal Justice Chemical Dependency Treatment Initiative, found that 80% of inmates who entered the ITC in Kyle, Texas graduated, and most rated the therapeutic value of the program highly. ITC graduates also demonstrated marked reductions in criminal and drug use activity from the 6 months before entering prison to the 6 months after leaving the program. When compared with a matched comparison group of inmates from the general prison population who did not receive treatment, ITC graduates had significantly better outcomes. Dr. Knight presented these findings during a symposium entitled "Evaluation of Corrections-Based Treatment in Texas" at the recent 6th National TASC Conference on Drugs and Crime held in Chicago. He was joined by Associate Research Scientist Dr. Dianna Newbern, who presented an overview of "Cognitive Enhancements for the Treatment of Probationers," and Associate Research Scientist Dr. Matthew Hiller, who presented "Client Profiles and Outcome Evaluations of the Dallas County Judicial Treatment Center."

DATAR Continuation up and running

The 5-year continuation phase of the DATAR project began admitting clients on the first day of its grant period (September 1, 1995), due in great part to careful planning and coordination with the staff of Drug Dependence Associates, Inc., a San Antonio-based methadone maintenance clinic that now serves as the project's clinical research site. Dr. Lois Chatham, IBR Associate Director and DATAR Project Manager, notes that in the first 6 months after start-up the project had already admitted 131 clients and held 1,269 individual counseling sessions, with counselors utilizing node-link mapping in almost 400 of those sessions.

As part of the project's study on the effectiveness of select treatment enhancements such as node-link mapping, clients are being assigned randomly to one of several counseling conditions at intake. In addition, clients will be encouraged to attend a variety of psychoeducational groups over the course of their treatment. The first such group (HIV/AIDS education and prevention) is currently being implemented and evaluated.

Dr. Chatham says "after an inspection of the demographics of this initial sample, I'm pleased to see it's consistent with the study design's goal to eventually examine gender and race/ethnic differences in treatment response."

The chart below features client characteristics based on data collected at initial assessment.

[DATAR Continuation Project, Characteristics of Initial Clients (bar graph)]

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Men's treatment enhancement workshop piloted

A new education module for men developed as part of DATAR is being pilot-tested at the Dallas County Sheriff's Department Chemical Dependency Treatment Program. The module, Time Out! For Men, is a companion piece to the Time Out! For Me workshop developed several years ago for women in drug treatment.

IBR Research Associate Norma Bartholomew, developer of the modules, describes the 6-session workshop as intended for men in treatment programs who are interested in improving their intimate relationships. The sessions focus on communication skills, self-esteem, sexual health, and challenging gender stereotypes and sexual mythology using a variety of activities, guided discussions, homework assignments, and information handouts.

Once initial pilot-testing is completed at the in-jail program, plans call for a second pilot to be offered through a community-based treatment program. After pilot testing is completed, this package will be evaluated at the DATAR treatment site in San Antonio. A final version of the manual will be available in the fall.

IBR receives University Commendation

As part of Texas Christian University's Institutional Effectiveness Initiative, the Institute of Behavioral Research (IBR) has been named one of TCU's Centers of Excellence. Dr. Joseph Helmick, Dean of Graduate Studies and Research, cited the IBR's exceptional performance in obtaining research grants, training and financially supporting graduate research students, integration with faculty of the psychology department, and national reputation in the area of treatment effectiveness as reasons for the commendation.

http://www.ibr.tcu.edu/pubs/newslet/96spring.html -- Revised: 23 September 1996
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