Fixed and dynamic predictors of client retention in therapeutic communities

This exploratory study assessed the value of fixed and dynamic variables for predicting client retention in therapeutic communities. Fixed variables included demographic and background characteristics that had been used to predict client retention and outcomes in previous research. Dynamic variables included circumstances under which clients joined programs and their motivations for seeking treatment. The sample comprised 753 admissions to 5 traditional therapeutic communities for substance abusers. Although both fixed and dynamic variables predicted client retention, the strongest predictors were two dynamic variables. One was ex-addict interviewers' predictions of whether clients would stay long enough in the program to benefit from treatment. The other was whether clients had spent most of their time with large groups of people, as opposed to spending most of their time with small groups or alone, before using drugs. Program and treatment variables need to be taken into account along with client variables to better understand and improve retention in therapeutic communities and other types of drug abuse treatment programs.