Helping alliance, retention, and treatment outcomes: A secondary analysis from the NIDA Clinical Trials Network Women and Trauma study.

In this secondary analysis of data from the National Drug Abuse Treatment Clinical Trials Network protocol CTN-0015 (“Women’s Treatment for Trauma and Substance Use Disorders”), researchers examined the association between the therapeutic alliance and treatment outcomes among 223 women with posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD) and substance use disorders. General linear models indicated that women who received Seeking Safety, a cognitive-behavioral treatment, had significantly higher alliance ratings than those in Women’s Health Education, a control group. Alliance was related to significant decreases in PTSD symptoms and higher attendance in both interventions. Alliance was not related to substance use outcomes. In all, this study demonstrates that this typically challenging group of women can develop a strong therapeutic alliance within a relatively brief treatment episode in a group format, facilitating reductions in PTSD symptoms and leading to treatment retention.

Related protocols: CTN-0015