Can Symptom Burden Predict Regular or Irregular Completion of Treatment for Substance use Disorders?

Purpose The aim of the present exploratory study was to investigate whether the subjective symptom burden before and during the treatment of patients with a substance use disorder has an influence on whether the treatment is terminated regularly (i.e. by mutual agreement between the therapist and the patient) or irregularly (i.e. the therapist or the patient discontinues). Methods In the present retrospective study 54 patients of a drug withdrawal and weaning ward were examined. The information on the type of treatment termination was taken from the basic documentation and the symptom burden of the Brief-Symptom-Checklist (BSCL). Results The results of the binary logistic regression analyses showed that a general reduction of the symptom burden during treatment was predictive for a regular rather than an irregular treatment termination. The analyses of the subscales of the BSCL showed significant effects for a decrease in anxiety and paranoid thinking during therapy in favour of a regular treatment termination. Furthermore, high values of obsessive-compulsivity at the beginning of treatment predicted a regular treatment termination. Conclusion In the treatment of patients with substance use disorders, it seems reasonable to ask for the general subjective symptom burden during treatment in order to avoid discontinuation of therapy. In particular, anxiety and paranoid thinking should be in the focus of the treatment, as these predicted a regular completion of treatment in the present study.