Outcome Evaluations in Substance Abuse: A Comparison of Alcoholism, Drug Abuse, and Other Mental Health Interventions

Abstract

outcome evaluation studies in the areas of alcohol and drug abuse have suffered from design problems. The lack of control groups, prospective designs, adequate outcome measures, and sufficient follow-up has presented the major difficulties. This study reviews all such studies reported in 50 major journals between 1969 and 1979 and compares them to outcome evaluations on other mental health topics reported in the same journals. We find that significant problems remain in each of these areas. In general, drug abuse studies employ the least adequate methodologies. Alcohol evaluations are approximately as rigorous as other mental health evaluations. A major finding is the lack of rigor found in all types of outcome evaluations. Attention must be paid to these issues if outcome evaluations are to remain credible and able to secure continued support.