Incorporating brain research findings into standard treatment: an example using the Matrix Model

One way to promote the goal of broadening the application of research to applied treatment is through the development and dissemination of empirically supported clinical treatment manuals. NIDA and NIAAA have published a series of manuals that delineate specific psychotherapies and/or behavioral approaches designed for the treatment of drug and alcohol abuse. This article describes a manualized treatment approach, the Matrix Model, which incorporates several of these psychosocial interventions with some basic explanations of recent brain research to form a comprehensive, multi-component model of outpatient stimulant abuse treatment. A large multi-site trial sponsored by CSAT compares the Matrix Model of outpatient treatment with treatment as usual in 7 sites where methamphetamine is a significant problem. The translation and adaptation of the Matrix manual for cocaine users in Mexico and methamphetamine users in Thailand will offer opportunities to evaluate this approach with very diverse populations of stimulant users.