RESEARCH
AT TRI
Investigators at the Treatment Research Institute are dedicated to the advancement of treatment effectiveness in substance abuse through research and dissemination. In academic and real-world settings, TRI scientists conduct original research and evaluate the findings of their peers to identify what works and what doesn’t in substance abuse treatment.
Research
shows that giving a reward to patients each time they provide a clean
urine sample helps motivate them to remain abstinent and stay in treatment.
Yet most treatment providers do not use reward systems. In the Behavioral
Interventions Research Section, TRI investigators have developed the
Survey of Counselors' Perceptions and are administering it to treatment
directors and counselors to determine whether failure to use rewards or
other motivational strategies arises from negative personal attitudes,
financial issues, or other considerations. In other studies, TRI scientists
are developing a community reinforcement intervention that uses religious
communities to provide social incentives for abstinence and experimenting
with other reward systems to evaluate their impact on long-term treatment
outcomes. The Significant Others Survey developed by TRI is being administered
to parents or partners of adult drug users. Once validated, this instrument
will eventually allow counselors to quickly and comprehensively assess
the problems of family members and potentially enlist them in the treatment
of their loved ones.
Monitoring and Feedback in Substance Abuse Treatment: Consistent with concurrent recovery monitoring model, three-stage study by John Cacciola, Ph.D. will develop a monitoring instrument and associated intervention. Abstract.
Cash Versus Non-Cash Contingency Management: first-ever study funded by NIDA will evaluate differential efficacy, cost-effectiveness and ethics of a cash- versus voucher-based CM protocol in the treatment of drug dependence. Read abstract.
Prevention Intervention for Low Risk Adult Drug Court Clients: Stage Ia/Ib Behavioral Therapy Development grant from NIDA will develop an intervention designed to interrupt acquisition of addictive behavior in adult drug court clients with no identifiable substance use disorder. Read abstract.
State Capital Punishment Statutes and Mental Retardation: Definitions of “mental retardation” in state capital punishment statutes vary considerably by states, with only a small portion using clinically acceptable criteria. Read abstract of national survey findings.
Read Special Articles on Adolescent Brain Development or Brief Intervention: Potential New Treatment Approach for Substance Abusing Adolescents, both prepared by TRI Senior Investigator Ken Winters, Ph.D.
