Investigating Factors to Determine Completion and Premature Termination of Outpatient Substance-Abuse Therapy

The present study examines the factors to determine completion or premature termination of an intensive outpatient substance-use disorder (SUD) treatment program. The analytic framework includes ten variables as potential protective and risk factors such as age, gender, marital status, number of dependents, employment status, possession of a valid driver’s license, adverse childhood experience (ACE) scores, the presence of co-occurring disorders (COD), support group participation, and involvement with the legal system. This study used a secondary dataset for 100 clients who had participated in an outpatient SUD treatment facility in Rochester, Minnesota. Two groups of 50 clients each, representing those who had completed treatment program and their counterparts who had been prematurely discharged from program, respectively, were included in the dataset. Results found that four variables were found to have significant associations with treatment completion: employment status, ACE scores, legal involvement, and support group participation. Those who were employed and legally involved are more likely to complete the program. Findings also suggest that those who had lower ACE scores and participated in support group tend to complete the treatment. Based on the results, the current study provides recommendations for early identification of ACEs, the ongoing effort on the part of SUD treatment staff, and encouragement for support group participation.