Inviting the Significant Other of LGBT Clients into Substance Abuse Treatment Programs: Frequency and Impact

In the New York Metropolitan area, convenience samples of 194 LGBT and 107 heterosexual former clients of substance abuse programs were compared in regard to rate of invitation of their significant others into treatment for at least one session. No significant differences between sexual orientation groups were found. For LGBT respondents, inviting significant others into treatment resulted in improved program completion rates, greater satisfaction with treatment, enhanced feelings of counselor support, and higher abstinence rates at the end of treatment. For women, not having a significant other predicted higher abstinence rates at the end of treatment.