Treatment effectiveness in an adolescent chemical dependency treatment program: a quasi-experimental design

This study utilizes a waiting-list control group experimental design to empirically assess the effectiveness of a residential adolescent chemical dependency treatment program. Mailed questionnaires and telephone follow-up procedures were used to collect outcome data. Treatment can be classified as an "AA-Family" model, combining behavior modification and psychoanalytic techniques. Complete abstinence from alcohol and/or drugs was used as a criterion for success. The abstinence rate for the treatment group sample (65.5%) was significantly higher than the abstinence rate for the waiting-list control group (14.3%) at the .001 level of probability.