Related Experiment Video
Updated: Jul 15, 2026
09:16
A General Method for Evaluating Deep Brain Stimulation Effects on Intravenous Methamphetamine Self-Administration
Published on: January 22, 2016
Predicting in-treatment performance and post-treatment outcomes in methamphetamine users
Maureen P Hillhouse1, Patricia Marinelli-Casey, Rachel Gonzales
1University of California, Los Angeles, Semel Neuropsychiatric Institute, CA, USA. hillous@ucla.edu
Addiction (Abingdon, England)
|May 12, 2007
Summary
Pre-treatment methamphetamine use significantly predicts treatment success and long-term outcomes for individuals in methamphetamine addiction treatment. Understanding these factors aids in developing personalized treatment plans.
Area of Science:
- Addiction Medicine
- Clinical Psychology
- Psychopharmacology
Background:
- Methamphetamine dependence is a significant public health issue requiring effective treatment strategies.
- Predicting treatment success is crucial for optimizing interventions for individuals with substance use disorders.
Purpose of the Study:
- To evaluate the predictive utility of individual drug use and treatment characteristics for in-treatment performance and 1-year post-treatment outcomes.
- To identify key factors influencing treatment success in methamphetamine dependence.
Main Methods:
- A cohort of 420 adults participating in the Methamphetamine Treatment Project (MTP) were analyzed.
- Data included baseline, during-treatment, and 6- and 12-month follow-up interviews, Addiction Severity Index (ASI), CFIDE, and urinalysis.
Main Results:
- Pre-treatment methamphetamine use was a consistent predictor of both in-treatment performance and post-treatment outcomes.
- Gender, route of administration, and pre-treatment use predicted in-treatment performance, while pre-treatment use strongly predicted all post-treatment outcomes.
Conclusions:
- Individual characteristics, particularly pre-treatment methamphetamine use, are valuable for predicting treatment outcomes.
- Assessing these factors is essential for tailoring effective treatment plans for methamphetamine abusers.
Related Concept Videos
01:29Therapeutic Drug Monitoring: Affecting Factors
Therapeutic Drug Monitoring (TDM) is the clinical practice of measuring specific drug levels in a patient's blood or body tissues to manage and optimize therapy. TDM is crucial for drugs with narrow therapeutic windows, like warfarin and phenytoin, where incorrect doses can lead to treatment failure or severe side effects. This monitoring ensures the dosage administered is within a safe and effective range. The factors affecting therapeutic drug monitoring include:Patient-Specific Factors:a.
01:52Regression Toward the Mean
Regression toward the mean (“RTM”) is a phenomenon in which extremely high or low values—for example, and individual’s blood pressure at a particular moment—appear closer to a group’s average upon remeasuring. Although this statistical peculiarity is the result of random error and chance, it has been problematic across various medical, scientific, financial and psychological applications. In particular, RTM, if not taken into account, can interfere when researchers try to extrapolate results...
01:26Psychosis: Goals of Pharmacotherapy
Antipsychotic drugs are a crucial treatment method for acute and chronic psychoses, bipolar illness, and behavioral disorders. The selection of these drugs depends on several factors, including the state of the disease, clinical judgment, possible drug interactions, and the patient's sensitivity to adverse effects. In immediate scenarios, such as delirium and dementia, short-term treatment with low doses of high-potency typical or atypical agents can effectively manage symptom exacerbation. For...
01:15Drug Abuse and Addiction: Pharmacological Phenomena
Drug dependence, abuse, and addiction are complex phenomena that can precipitate various abnormal states. Physical dependence refers to a state of pharmacological adaptation to a drug. This adaptation often results in tolerance—a reduced response to the drug after repeated administrations. When the drug use is abruptly stopped, withdrawal symptoms occur due to the body's need to readjust from the pharmacologically induced imbalance. However, tolerance and withdrawal symptoms do not necessarily...