Patient improvement, measured by the MMPI and Pyp, related to paraprofessional and professional counselor assignment

This study examined the treatment efficacy of professional and paraprofessional counselors with similar caseloads of narcotic addicts stabilizaed on methadone. The patients assigned to a professional counselor showed a statistically significant decrease on the D and Sc scales of the MMPI. The patients assigned to paraprofessional counselors did not demonstrate statistically significant decreases on the scales of the MMPI. On the basis of examined patient variables, the two groups of patients appeared comparable in terms of demographic characteristics prior to admission and there did not appear to be a bias in the assignment of patient to counselor.