An intensive outpatient approach for cocaine abuse treatment. The Matrix model

The Matrix model of outpatient treatment was developed during the 1980s in response to an overwhelming demand for cocaine abuse treatment services. The model was constructed using components based upon empirically supported findings from the substance abuse research field. Over the course of development, data were collected on the treatment model and the model was modified based upon empirical evaluation. A pilot study comparing the Matrix outpatient model with an inpatient hospital treatment program produced preliminary support for the clinical utility of the model. An open trial comparing publicly and privately funded patients demonstrated that patients with fewer resources were more difficult to engage and retain in this model of outpatient treatment. In a controlled trial, a clear positive relationship was documented between duration and amount of treatment involvement in the Matrix model and positive outcome at 1 year. Due to a variety of methodological issues, the study was not able to answer definitively the question of clinical efficacy. In all of these studies, patients treated with the Matrix model demonstrated statistically significant reductions in drug and alcohol use and improvements in psychological indicators. This body of work, along with the public acceptance the model has received in the treatment community, support the usefulness of this intensive outpatient approach for cocaine abuse. Further research is underway to provide additional controlled information on the value of this treatment approach.