The Relationship Between Legal Factors and Attrition from a Residential Drug Abuse Treatment Program

Abstract

This article examines the legal involvement of 438 clients randomized to three- and six-month versions of a residential drug abuse treatment program with respect to early attrition (before 40 days in treatment) and later attrition (40–79 days in treatment). Concern about legall problems was reported by 21% of subjects in response to an open-ended question about factors that led to admission; 42% had other legal circumstances that were determined either from documented evidence of legal involvement from chart review or from self-report through structured questioning about legal status. For those with “concern about legal problems” the early attrition rate was 16%, compared with 33% for those with no legal factors—odds ratio (OR) .38 with 95% confidence interval (95% CI) (.20,.73) and the later atrrition rate was 25%, OR .76. 95% CI (.39, 1.48). Those subjects with “legal circumstances” only had an early attrition rate of 29%—OR .86. 95% CI (.54. 1.37) and a later attrition rate of 19%, OR .53. 95% CI (.29,.98) compared to those with no legal factors. There was litle evidence of confounding in any of these results from adjusted analyses. Findings suggest that only self-reported concern about legal status as a problem mentioned at entry to treatment is significantly associated with lower early attrition and there is no significant relation ship of legal factors with later attririon.

Keywords:

• crime
• legal factors
• residential drug abuse treatment
• substance abuse
• treatment attrition