Background

There are several relatively safe and effective FDA-approved medications for Opioid Use Disorder (OUD). Despite the existence of these medications, the rate of returning to opioid use after treatment is relatively high, underscoring the need for continued enhancement of treatments. Adjunctive psychosocial interventions paired with medication have been shown to improve OUD treatment outcomes. However, studies have yet to conclusively examine the distinct effects of the most widely utilized psychosocial treatment modalities. The current study will investigate the relationship between individual counseling, group therapy, and 12-Step participation and illicit opioid abstinence at the end of treatment, 1 and 3 months after treatment.

Method

A secondary analysis was conducted with data from a sample of 570 individuals diagnosed with OUD who were recruited from eight substance abuse treatment centers in the United States. Participants were enrolled in a two-group randomized, controlled trial testing buprenorphine-naloxone versus extended-release naltrexone for OUD. A two-level hierarchical linear growth model was used to examine the effects of individual counseling, group therapy, and 12-Step participation on illicit opioid abstinence (urinanalyses) 1- and 3-months post-treatment.

Results

Hours of individual counseling and 12-Step participation significantly predicted abstinence at follow-up ( p < .001, b = −0.59, 95% CI [0.42, 0.74]; p < .01, b = −0.05, 95% CI [0.92, 0.98]). There was a significant interaction between individual counseling and 12-Step participation ( p < .01, b = −0.06, 95% CI [1.02, 1.10]). Additionally, participant age and employment status were significant predictors of illicit opioid abstinence ( p < .01, b = −0.02, 95% CI [0.97, 0.99]; p < .01, b = −0.38, 95% CI [0.52, 0.90]). Hours of group therapy was not found to significantly predict illicit opioid abstinence.

Conclusions

Findings suggest that greater levels of individual therapy and 12-Step participation may be beneficial for individuals receiving medication treatment for OUD.