The relation of time spent in drug abuse treatment to posttreatment outcome

The author examined follow-up outcomes in the first year after treatment in relation to time spent in treatment in the Drug Abuse Reporting Program. Follow-up interviews were completed with more than 3,000 people admitted to drug abuse treatment during 1969--1972, including clients treated with methadone maintenance, therapeutic communities, outpatient drug-free programs, and outpatient detoxification, as well as a group who completed intake procedures but did not return for treatment. Longer time in treatment was related to better posttreatment outcome, but clients who spent less than 3 months in treatment were not significantly different from the detoxification-only group or the intake-only group.