When treatment meets research: Clinical perspectives from the CSAT Methamphetamine Treatment Project

Obert, Jeanne L.; Brown, Alison Hamilton; Zweben, Joan; Christian, Darrell; Delmhorst, Jenn; Minsky, Sam; Morrisey, Patrick; Vandersloot, Denna; Weiner, Ahndrea

doi:10.1016/j.jsat.2004.12.008

« Previous Next »Journal of Substance Abuse Treatment
Volume 28, Issue 3 , Pages 231-237, April 2005

When treatment meets research: Clinical perspectives from the CSAT Methamphetamine Treatment Project

Jeanne L. Obert, M.A., M.S.
- Matrix Institute on Addictions, Los Angeles, CA, USA
- Corresponding author. Matrix Institute on Addiction, 12304 Santa Monica Blvd., Suite 200, Los Angeles, CA 90025, USA. Tel.: +1 310 207 4322, ext. 114; fax: +1 310 207 6511
Alison Hamilton Brown, Ph.D.
- UCLA Integrated Substance Abuse Programs, Los Angeles, CA, USA
Joan Zweben, Ph.D.
- East Bay Community Recovery Project & 14^th Street Clinic, Oakland, CA, USA
Darrell Christian, Ph.D.
- Private practice, Walnut Creek, CA, USA
Jenn Delmhorst, M.S.W.
- New Leaf Treatment Center, Lafayette, CA, USA
Sam Minsky, M.A.
- Matrix Institute on Addictions, Los Angeles, CA, USA
Patrick Morrisey, M.A.
- Alcohol and other Drug Services, Belmont, CA, USA
Denna Vandersloot, M.Ed., L.A.C.
- Northwest Frontier Addiction Technology Transfer Center, Honolulu, HI, USA
Ahndrea Weiner, M.S.
- Matrix Institute on Addictions, Los Angeles, CA, USA

Received 18 February 2004; received in revised form 28 October 2004; accepted 8 December 2004.

Abstract

Integrating research-based treatments into clinical settings has become a priority in the substance abuse treatment field. This article examines the introduction of research, via manualized treatment (i.e., the Matrix Model), into community treatment settings that participated in the Center for Substance Abuse Treatment Methamphetamine Treatment Project, a multi-site randomized controlled trial (RCT) that provided free treatment to 1016 methamphetamine-dependent individuals. With both empirical (qualitative) and anecdotal data from those involved clinically in the project, the article utilizes the framework of practitioner concerns set forth by Addis, Wade, and Hatgis (1999) to assess the issues realized during the implementation of this manualized treatment. Despite fairly smooth implementation of the model, the authors conclude that introducing manualized treatment in the context of an RCT may not be the best way to bring research-based treatment into the practice world.

Keywords: Research-based treatment, Manualized treatment, Randomized controlled trial (RCT), Technology transfer