Dennis M. Donovan and Margaret E. Mattson, Special Issue Editors

Journal of Studies on Alcohol, Supplement No. 12, December, 1994

Contents

Introduction

Donovan, D.M. & Mattson, M.E. Alcoholism treatment matching research: Methodological and clinical issues.

Abstract: Client-treatment matching is an area receiving increased attention both in clinical practice and research with alcoholism. While the notion of potentially improving treatment outcomes by matching has been suggested for some time, there are a number of methodological and practical barriers that have impeded progress in the development of theoretically and clinically relevant matching models. This article provides an overview of the potential benefits of matching, the methodological factors that increase the complexity of research in this area, and some of the clinical barriers that make implementation more difficult. This overview also serves to introduce this special issue of the Journal of Studies on Alcohol, which examines in more detail each of the methodological issues involved in clinical research on treatment matching. While these methodological issues present unique challenges to the clinical researcher, the potential benefits of matching appear promising and should serve to motivate clinicians and researchers to pursue continued work in this area.

Section I – An Introduction to Multicenter Clinical Trials in Client-Treatment Matching Research: History, Rationale and Design (Mattson, M.E.)

Mattson, M.E., Allen, J.P., Longabaugh, R., Nickless, C.J., Connors, G.J. & Kadden, R.M. A chronological review of empirical studies matching alcoholic clients to treatment.

Fuller, R.K., Mattson, M.E., Allen, J.P., Randall, C.L., Anton, R.F. & Babor, T.F. Multisite clinical trials in alcoholism treatment research: Organizational, methodological and management issues.

Miller, W.R. & Cooney, N.L. Designing studies to investigate client-treatment matching.

Longabaugh, R., Wirtz, P.W., DiClemente, C.C. & Litt, M. Issues in the development of client-treatment matching hypotheses.

Section II – Methodological Issues in Treatment Matching Research (Stout, R.L.)

Zweben, A., Donovan, D.M., Randall, C.L., Barrett, D., Dermen, K., Kabela, E., McRee, B., Meyers, R., Rice, C., Rosengren, D., Schmidt, P., Snow, M., Thevos, A.K. & Velasquez, M. Issues in the development of subject recruitment strategies and eligibility criteria in multisite trials of matching.

Stout, R.L., Wirtz, P.W., Carbonari, J.P. & Del Boca, F.K. Ensuring balanced distributions of prognostic factors in treatment outcome research.

Wirtz, P.W., Carbonari, J.P., Muenz, L.R., Stout, R.L., Tonigan, J.S. & Connors, G.J. Classical analysis methods for detecting matching effects on treatment outcome.

Carbonari, J.P., Wirtz, P.W., Muenz, L.R. & Stout, R.L. Alternative analytic methods for detecting matching effects in treatment outcomes.

Section III – Assessment of Client Characteristics and Drinking Behavior (Connors, G.J.)

Connors, G.J., Allen, J.P., Cooney, N.L., DiClimente, C.C., Tonigan, J.S. & Anton, R.F. Assessment issues and strategies in alcoholism treatment matching research.

Babor, T.F., Longabaugh, R., Zweben, A., Fuller, R.K., Stout, R.L., Anton, R.F. & Randall, C.L. Issues in the definition and measurement of drinking outcomes in alcoholism treatment research.

Miller, W.R. & Del Boca, F.K. Measurement of drinking behavior using the Form 90 family of instruments.

Longabaugh, R., Mattson, M.E., Connors, G.J. & Cooney, N.L. Quality of life as an outcome variable in alcoholism treatment research.

Del Boca, F.K., Babor, T.F. & McRee, B. Reliability enhancement and estimation in multisite clinical trials.

Section IV – Treatment Selection, Treatment Implementation and Process Assessment in Matching Research (Carroll, K.M.)

Donovan, D.M., Kadden, R.M., DiClemente, C.C., Carroll, K.M., Longabaugh, R., Zweben, A. & Rychtarik, R. Issues in the selection and development of therapies in alcoholism treatment matching research.

Carroll, K.M., Kadden, R.M., Donovan, D.M., Zweben, A. & Rounsaville, B.J. Implementing treatment and protecting the validity of the independent variable in treatment matching studies.

DiClemente, C.C., Carroll, K.M., Connors, G.J. & Kadden, R.M. Process assessment in treatment matching research.

Conclusion

Mattson, M.E. & Donovan, D.M. Clinical applications: The transition from research to practice.