The Role of Social Support Following Short-term Inpatient Treatment

The intensive, time-limited, short-term inpatient modality treatment for substance abuse appears to have positive outcomes despite its brevity. This study examined patient characteristics and posttreatment experiences to understand who is likely to benefit from this treatment and under what circumstances. Our sample included 748 patients in 12 short-term inpatient programs. Twenty-two percent of patients used cocaine at least weekly in the 1-year follow-up period, and an additional 9% drank frequently (compared with pretreatment rates of 69% and 15% respectively). Overall, patients' social support networks following treatment were more important factors than the pre- or during-treatment variables examined.