Reliability of drug use responses in a longitudinal study

In a prospective longitudinal study of adolescents' drug use, the trustfulness of the self-reports about drug use was investigated by means of a test for logical consistency. A sample of 1936 high school students completed a written survey in the fall of 1987 and again in spring 1988, seven to eight months later. The findings indicate that the information obtained is logically consistent at one particular point in time. Analyses show, however, that the consistency drops somewhat over time. The legal drug use responses show the highest consistency, the answers regarding hard drugs like amphetamine and heroin show the least favourable consistency, with cannabis and inhalants somewhere in the middle. There seem to be two main reasons for the inconsistent answers: some respondents wilfully underreport their drug consumption. This seems partly to be a function of the level of illegality of the drug. However, poor memory and episodic uses of such drugs seem also to be important. Generally this study agrees with other studies and indicates an overall relatively high level of longitudinal consistency regarding drug use responses. This kind of survey must therefore be regarded as a relatively reliable instrument in collecting information regarding drug use.     

CONTINGENCY MANAGEMENT INTERVENTIONS: EFFECTS ON TREATMENT OUTCOME DURING METHADONE DETOXIFICATION

We examined the effectiveness of a contingency management program in preventing relapse to illicit opiate use and increasing treatment retention during outpatient methadone detoxification treatment. Twenty male opiate addicts were randomly assigned to an experimental or control group. Following a 3-week methadone stabilization period, men in both groups received identical gradual methadone dose reductions during Weeks 4 through 9 and were maintained on placebo during Weeks 10 through 13. Beginning in Week 4, control patients received $5.00 for providing a specimen twice weekly. Experimental patients received $10.00 and a take home methadone dose for each opiate-free urine specimen but forfeited the incentives and participated in more intensive clinic procedures when specimens were opiate positive. The contingency management procedure slowed the rate of relapse to illicit opiate use. Experimental patients provided significantly more opiate-free urines during the methadone dose reduction in Weeks 4 through 9 than control patients, although the difference between groups was no longer significant during placebo administration in Weeks 10 through 13. In addition, the contingency management program improved treatment retention and reduced symptom complaints during the detoxification. The usefulness and limitations of contingency management procedures for outpatient methadone detoxification are discussed.     

participating in a couples therapy outcome study: Participants' views

Discovering that participants who received therapy in a research project and were being debriefed in a therapy outcome study considered those assessment sessions therapeutic, the authors conclude that participants: (a) are aware of the research context, (b) have some idea about how it affected the treatment they got, and (c) see positive outcomes for taking part in the study. Assessment and treatment were not separated in the minds of some participants, as they had been in the mind of the researchers.This study was supported in part by National Institute on Drug Abuse grant #1R 18DA 1069232001.     

La mémoire verbale à court terme : un simple produit des interactions entre systèmes langagiers, attentionnels et de traitement de l’ordre sériel ?

This literature review examines the links between verbal short-term memory (STM) and language processing, by trying to determine to what extent STM is a distinct system relative to the language system. In order to answer this question, we will distinguish between “item” and “serial order” information, which is a critical distinction for the study of STM. We will develop a theoretical proposal considering that STM results from the interaction of multiple processes and systems: temporary activation of the language system for the storage of “item” information; the intervention of a specialized system for the processing of serial order and the intervention of an attentional modulator.     

吸毒者：病人还是罪犯

如何认定吸毒者的社会身份是禁毒工作中亟待解决的问题。概述常见的毒品和吸毒的流行趋势。通过分析吸毒与医学和犯罪的关系,了解吸毒是病态还是犯罪。提出如何正确对待吸毒与戒毒,社会有关人员有责任关怀吸毒品走私案者,消除偏见,给予他们应有的帮助和治疗。     

冠心病理想治疗方式的选择

心病的治疗包括针对高危因素病因和临床并发症的综合治疗.其中,药物治疗主要包括:凝/抗血小板、控制血压和调脂等.血管重建术主要包括:入、搭桥、"杂交"手术和分子生物学治疗.药物治疗是冠心痛各种治疗方法的基础,而血管重建术是现代治疗冠心痛的重要手段.如何合理地选择治疗方案是临床医师面临的重要课题.