Am J Psychiatry 1981; 138:785-789
Copyright © 1981 by American Psychiatric Association
Pretreatment source of income and response to methadone maintenance: a follow-up study
AT McLellan, JC Ball, L Rosen and CP O'Brien
The authors assessed the relationship between source of pretreatment income
and response to treatment at 6-month follow-up in 165 male veterans
admitted to a methadone maintenance treatment program. Subjects were
grouped according to whether the majority of their pretreatment income was
based on job earnings, public assistance, or criminal activity. Significant
improvements in drug use, legal status, and psychological functioning were
found in the employed group. The group supported by criminal activity
showed the most significant and pervasive improvements, especially in the
areas of drug use and family, legal, and employment problems. The group
receiving public assistance showed no significant improvements on any of
the 16 criterion measures, including drug use.
