Addict Attitudes toward Methadone Maintenance: A Preliminary Report

Abstract

In the past several years it has become obvious that methadone maintenance is a popular, if not necessary, treatment approach to the problem of heroin addiction. Indeed, many addicts unable to function on a drug-abstinent basis are required, encouraged, or voluntarily request methadone maintenance as a relatively long-term situation. Proponents of this treatment modality point to a reduction in crimes committed, a significant decrease in heroin use, and a rise in steady employment among methadone clients as evidence of its success (Dole, Nyswander, and Warner, 1968; Dole, Robinson, Orraca, Towns, Searcy, and Caine, 1969; Dole, 1971). On the other hand, Brown and his colleagues (1972) sampled staff and client attitudes toward methadone maintenance using the Adjective Check List (Gough and Heilbrun, 1965) and noted that addict-clients may not share the enthusiasm for methadone exhibited by program administrators. Specifically, ratings of client psychological effectiveness and general maturity were found to vary as a function of drug use, whether methadone or heroin. Although methadone clients were described in more positive terms than addicts on heroin, highest and significantly more favorable personality descriptions were attributed to addicts who had become drug free.