Comparison of the Characteristics and Functioning of Cocaine Treatment and Cocaine Research Subjects

Abstract

Comparisons were made of the functioning and characteristics of cocaine-abusing volunteers to a research ward (N = 25) and to an outpatient treatment program (N = 33) at the same research facility. It was hypothesized that individuals volunteering for clinical studies and for treatment-related studies would represent different segments of the cocaine-abusing population, and that those differences could be significant to an understanding of study findings. Demographic/background variables were assessed through use of the Addiction Severity Index, risk-taking behaviors relative to HIV infection and AIDS through use of a structured interview schedule, intellectual functioning through use of the Shipley Institute for Living Scale, and psychiatric symptoms through use of the Hopkins Symptom Check List (SCL-90R). Significant differences were obtained for criminal activity, needle sharing, and selected psychiatric symptoms. Marital status was particularly important to an understanding of differences between research and treatment groups in that unmarried treatment subjects showed significantly greater psychopathology than research subjects on 3 of 11 symptom scores. Unmarried treatment subjects showed significantly greater deviance than married treatment subjects on 7 of 11 symptom scores. The findings suggest a relationship between marital status and the psychological functioning of treatment clients and indicates that different segments of the cocaine-abusing population volunteer for different types of research.