A client-treatment matching protocol for therapeutic communities: first report.

The present study is the first report on a client-treatment matching protocol (CMP) to guide admissions to residential and outpatient substance abuse treatment settings. Two cohorts, a field test sample (n = 318) and cross-validation (n = 407) sample were drawn from consecutive admissions to nine geographically distributed multisetting therapeutic communities (TCs). A passive matching design was employed. Clients received the CMP on admission, but agencies were "blind" to the CMP treatment recommendation (i.e., match) and assigned clients to treatment by the usual intake procedures. Bivariate and logistical regression analyses show that positive treatment dispositions (treatment completion or longer retention in treatment)) were significantly higher among the CMP-matched clients. The present findings provide the empirical basis for studies assessing the validity and utility of the CMP with controlled designs. Though limited to TC-oriented agencies, the present research supports the use of objective matching criteria to improve treatment.