Motivation for substance abuse treatment among offenders who have committed drug-related crimes

The question of what motivates substance users to enter treatment holds important implications for public health. Previous research has illuminated various factors that lead people to start treatment, including coercion by family or friends (Gerdner & Holmberg, 2000; Polcin & Weisner, 1999), medical problems (O'Toole, Pollini, Ford, & Bigelow, 2006), and intrinsic motivation (Ryan & Deci, 2000). The aim of this study is to examine variables that are related to motivation in a non-treatment seeking sample, including psychological distress, primary drug of abuse, duration of addiction, and family connectedness. To do this, we are interviewing 50 inmates (current N=40) incarcerated at a county detention facility in Missoula, Montana who have committed drug-related crimes. Each participant recruited into the study will undergo an assessment consisting of the University of Rhode Island Change Assessment Scale (DiClemente & Hughes, 1990), the Addiction Severity Index, 5th edition (McLellan et al., 1992), and the Brief Symptom Inventory (Derogatis, 1992). In order to examine the factors that predict motivation for change, a multiple linear regression will be used, involving three independent variables: BSI scores, lifetime years of substance use, and the ASI composite score on the Family/Social section. The dependent variable to be used is the subscale on URICA indicating that the person is contemplating change (“Contemplation”). The results of this study have implications for the development of intervention strategies for non-treatment seeking substance abusers. Knowing what motivates people to seek treatment could shape outreach efforts and determine where they should be concentrated.