ehaviors associated with heroin addiction (Glass, 1993, pp. 1995 1996). For these opponents of methadone maintenance, the process is more important than are the outcomes in the treatment of heroin addiction.
The process versus outcome approach to the treatment of heroin addicts in the United States is an issue on which positions do not appear to be softening at a time when a steep rise in the use of heroin in this country is being predicted. This research investigates the following question: Is there a treatment or combination of treatments for heroin addiction that will simultaneously be effective within the context of outcomes and be sufficiently palatable to each side of the process outcome issue to assure implementation and funding at levels that will not compromise outcome effectiveness?
The research question requires evaluation criteria for both outcome effectiveness and treatment concept acceptability. Outcome effectiveness in this study is assessed within the context of relapse behavior. An assumption is made, based on the findings reported in the literature, that a lower incidence of heroin use is positively associated with a lower incidence of criminal behavior (Barber, 1992, pp. 157 158). Relapse rates for treatment alternatives are compared to assess treatment effectiveness in this study. The criterion for the assessment of treatment concept acceptability is necessarily subjective in character. The characteristics of treatment alternatives for heroin addiction will be assessed within the context of the positions of those on the process side of the issue and the positions of those on the outcomes side of the issue to attempt to project the likelihood of acceptability.
The research for this study relies heavily on a review of the published literature relevant to the problem investigated. The assessment of the literature reviewed with respect to the research question investigated is made within the context of ...