Client Progress and Assessment in Alcohol and Other Drug Therapeutic Community Treatment

Abstract

The Therapeutic Community approach is conceptualized as a unique peer led social psychological approach to the problems of alcohol and drug misuse. While assessment of the outcomes of Therapeutic Communities is employed widely, this does little to assist in understanding why programs are more or less effective, nor what components of TC programs have the greatest effect on resident progress. One approach to gain such understanding is to assess the way in which residents of Therapeutic Communities progress through programs based on a series of specific indicators that can help predict positive outcomes. This presentation will discuss research related to understanding resident progress in Therapeutic Communities through the application of theory-based assessment processes.