Use of cranial electrotherapy stimulation among newly admitted African American and Hispanic residents in New York's Phoenix House residential drug treatment program

A large part of the high early attrition rates in residential treatment may be attributed to inadequate management of drug abstinence programs. Early drop-out rates have been shown to be as high as 30%-40% in the first 30 days of residential treatment with sharp decreases thereafter

Phoenix House is a national not-for-profit substance abuse treatment provider. Phoenix House programs in New York treat more than 2,000 men, women, and adolescents for drug and/or alcohol addiction in residential and outpatient programs. Our population sample consisted of 392 individuals, predominately African American and Hispanic men.

Cranial electrotherapy stimulation (CES) has been shown to produce improvements for insomnia, depression, and anxiety among individuals with these conditions. Primary substance abuse is a primary intervening factor that increases the likelihood of these conditions. Our research examines the effects of CES on newly abstinent substance dependent individuals in community-based residential treatment.

This pilot study sought to determine whether cranial electrotherapy stimulation (CES) can be successfully integrated in a residential drug treatment program. This study has shown that newly admitted individuals experience decreased drop-out rates during the first weeks of treatment. We found that CES was well accepted by both clients and treatment staff and that CES can be integrated into a treatment regimen. Further study is needed to examine the effects of CES on clients' stress, sleep, concentration and other factors that may mediate the relationship between CES and retention, including African and Hispanic men.