undertaken study may be understood within the context of the research that does exists, this chapter of the proposal provides an examination of several studies of treatment effectiveness conducted at private and public rehabilitation centers. Also, since different facilities measure treatment success in a variety of different ways, the review will briefly examine the various measures of success used by different centers. This examination will be used to discuss problematic areas of the undertaken research in terms of determining treatment success levels.
In a special report issues by the Erie City School District of Pennsylvania (1987), the district reports on a project conducted at Crossroads Drug and Alcohol Rehabilitation Center (Erie, Pennsylvania) to help residents (adolescents) build self-esteem and confidence through a course involving decision making, problem solving, and values clarification. Strategies, academic skills, reading, writing, and mathematics were introduced as part of the program.
Over the years, counselors at the Center had noted the substance abusers have one outstanding problem--poor self-image. It was, therefore, presumed that if clients could be helped to elevate their self-image, the likelihood of their repeating substance abuse behavior would be reduced. In an effort to build self-image, clients were helped to set goals and to prepare for the General Educational Development Tests in order to receive a high school diploma.
Also, a curriculum centered on motivation lessons that would increased self-esteem, enhanced decision-making ability, and gave adolescent clients goal-making skills was developed and implemented. To implement the curriculum, two adult learning center instructors met with 41 Crossroads students in groups of eight for two hours per week. Lessons included exercises, grammar, sharing of feelings, writing activities, and group discussion.
The BASIS test was used for pre- an...